Dear First name / friend,

 

As September comes to a close, we reflect on a month filled with meaningful milestones. This month saw International Primate Day, highlighting the importance of conserving our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, and International Vulture Awareness Day, that shed light on the crucial ecological roles these often overlooked raptors play.

 

In this edition of Into the Wild, we invite you to explore latest updates and stories from CWS. Dive into our Wild Science blogs and catch up on inspiring news from across our programs. From exciting conservation initiatives to community engagement efforts, there’s much to celebrate as October approaches.

We welcome Mr. Nikhil Bharadwaj as a member of our advisory council at CWS. Nikhil is an entrepreneur, investor, and executive with deep experience in emerging technologies, media, international affairs, and leading large, high-growth global teams from inception to scale. He has served in executive roles at Rivet and Bloomberg L.P., and as an investor and advisor at The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG), Evercore Partners (NYSE: EVR), and Citigroup (NYSE: C). Nikhil is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has served as a board member for companies and nonprofits. He received his M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School and graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in Economics, Magna cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa.

 

Imran Siddique, Senior Field Conservationist and Sumit Arora, Director, Technology And Partnerships, CWS attended the 8th IUCN Asia Regional Conservation Forum held in Bangkok, Thailand, between 3rd and 5th September 2024m under the theme 'Reimagining Conservation in Asia: A Nature Positive Future'. Held every four years, the IUCN Asia Regional Conservation Forum (RCF) serves as the leading platform for knowledge and partnerships, bringing together key stakeholders in nature and biodiversity conservation. With over 150 organizations and 600 members in attendance, the conference served as an important forum to discuss future collaborations for CWS. For more information, click here.

 

CWS is one of 10 global non-profits that is a recipient of F5's 2024 Tech for Good grant. As a Tech for Good grant partner, we will work on consolidating data collection and analysis through the development of a single platform that will enable us to better evaluate and replicate our programs. To know more, click here.

 

Dr. Krithi Karanth, Chief Executive Officer, CWS, has been interviewed for the latest episode of The Founders Spirit podcast. In this episode, she gives valuable insights into how scientific research can drive systemic change and the vision for the future of wildlife conservation in India. Sharing personal stories from her experiences, Dr. Karanth discusses the delicate balance between human needs and conservation, and the powerful impact of empowering communities to coexist with wildlife. To listen to the episode, click here.

 

Dr. Ullas Karanth's talk titled, 'Practicing Wildlife Science: Challenges and Opportunities', used examples from his four decades of experience in understanding tiger ecology by applying modern research methods. He discussed varied challenges faced while trying to translate findings of sound science into useful tiger conservation policy and management practices.

 

Ishika Ramakrishna, Doctoral Fellow at CWS, was invited to give a talk at a conference titled 'Urban Animals in the Age of Extinction' held at FLAME University in Pune. Hosted by Dr Sinjini Mukherjee and Dr. Lily Kelting, as well as visiting faculty Dr. Yoriko Otomo on 28th and 29th August 2024, the conference was an interdisciplinary event with presentations from ecologists, ethologists, literary scholars, journalists, ethnographers, geographers, poets and more. Ishika presented a paper titled “A life among primates: using anthropological insight to understand other-than-human perspectives in human—nature relationships”.

 

In an article titled 'ಹುಲಿಗಳ ಜತೆ ಬದುಕಲು ಕಲಿಯಬೇಕು', Kannada newspaper Vishwavani talks about Dr. K Ullas Karanth's recent interview for Smithsonian Magazine. Discussing the complexities of tiger conservation in India, the article highlights the critical need for large forest habitats for tigers to thrive but notes that mere habitat conservation is insufficient. It emphasizes that these habitats must also sustain sufficient prey populations for tigers. Pointing to programs at CWS, the article stresses the importance of educating children about wildlife through programs like Wild Shaale to prevent fear and animosity toward animals, ensuring a safer coexistence between tigers and humans. To read the article, click here.

 

Made by a recipient of the Wild Incubator grant 2023, we are excited to share the trailer for 'Crossing Paths - The Elephants of Eastern Maharashtra' here. Produced by The Grasslands Trust, with the support of Farmers for Forests, Centre for Wildlife Studies and Pernod Ricard Foundation. Journey to the heart of Maharashtra, where the recent appearance of elephants is an exciting surprise explored in this film!

"Silent Valley National Park is well-known for its “black monkey” or the lion-tailed macaques. But these valleys are alive with more than the coo-ing of these macaques. During my field days, I followed a macaque troop—with a thick canopy above and slivers of sunlight escaping between the leaves and casting a soft golden glow on the forest floor. Above, the macaques foraged and chattered. Down below, the forest floor equally teemed with quiet life.

 

When the macaques pause, I pause to take a breather and let my eyes wander. Each day, the forest had new surprises to offer. Mushrooms in countless shapes and colours dotted the ground, some delicate and white, others vivid orange standing out against the dark floor, and others camouflaged in the leaf litter, like little houses with their caps. On one occasion, I spotted a millipede, its body shimmering in shades of copper and black, its slow and steady movements contrasting with the rapid pace of the macaques above.

 

Some days I would crouch to observe the six-legged wonders. Workaholic ants and insects scurried across the forest floor—busy schedules, bustling with activity, such orderly chaos! The coolest of them all were the pit vipers, emerging with the rains. They lay scattered across the floor, in myriad shades of brown, blending perfectly with the surroundings. We would constantly scan the ground while walking, often playing a careful game of watch-where-you-step!

 

Then the macaques called out from the trees, reminding me to follow them—such attention seekers, I tell you. Each step is a reminder of the intricate web of life, where every creature, whether crawling, slithering, or swinging above, plays its part, making these forests truly alive and pulsing rhythm."

 

- Sikha Hariharan, Doctoral Fellow

During one of our Wild Seve cases, we met Thangavadivel, a farmer living in the lush village of Andiyur, nestled within the Udumalpet wildlife range. His primary income came from cultivating coconuts, but he faced a significant challenge: the frequent intrusion of elephants from the nearby Anamalai National Park and Tiger Reserve. These majestic creatures often wandered into his fields in search of food, causing considerable damage to his crops and impacting his livelihood.

 

Despite the difficulties, Thangavadivel held a profound respect for nature and wildlife. He recognized that the elephants were simply following their instincts and did not harbor any resentment toward them. However, he could not overlook the repercussions their presence had on his farming.

 

The Wild Seve team, along with the Tamil Nadu forest department, helped him navigate the process of claiming compensation for his losses, providing support that brought him renewed hope. Thangavadivel now advocates for harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife, sharing his experience with others in the community.

 

Join us in supporting Thangavadivel and farmers like him here.

 

Have you seen different species of birds together, and ever wondered why various bird species flock together? Is it because of safety from predators? Or efficiency of finding food? Or something else? To find out, read our latest blog on mixed-species flocks, and discover how core, regular, and irregular attendants each play a role in these fascinating bird gatherings and what new research reveals about their behavior. To read more, click here.

 

Exploring the lush forests of northwest India's Sub-Himalayan region, scientists uncover the secrets of woodpecker populations. The study reveals that unmanaged forests, rich in large trees and standing dead wood, host more abundant and diverse woodpecker communities. This highlights the crucial need to preserve undisturbed habitats for these charismatic birds. To know more, read our latest blog here.

Aquatic invasive species are non-native plants and animals that have been introduced into lakes, rivers, and other water bodies. More than 3,500 of these species have been found to be harmful, threatening the survival of ecosystems, disrupting the balance of native species, causing habitat loss, and reducing water quality, eventually affecting human health and livelihoods. Invasive animals like zebra mussels can outcompete native species for food and oxygen, and clog infrastructure like pipes and dams. Aquatic invasive species are a major threat to freshwater ecosystems worldwide, with significant ecological and economic costs. Preventing their introduction and spread is crucial to protecting the health and biodiversity of aquatic environments.

 

Our Doctoral Fellow Shreya Ray, Dr. G Umpathy, Chief Scientist at the Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology, Dr. Marco Milardi, Science Officer at The Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement, unpacked the tumultous world of aquatic invasive species. Click the video above to watch a recording of the session.

Elephants, often called the "gardeners of the forest" and "ecosystem engineers," play a vital role in shaping and sustaining the ecosystems they call home. Once roaming vast expanses across Asia's tropical and subtropical regions, Asian elephants now occupy only about 5% of their historical range. The loss and degradation of their natural habitats have led to a growing number of human-elephant interactions, making it more important than ever to understand and adapt to these complex relationships.

 

As we concluded Elephant Awareness Month in August, we tuned in on August 30th, 2024 at 7:00 PM IST to hear from conservation scientist and author of 'What’s Left of the Jungle', Dr. Nitin Sekar. He discussed his insights on elephant conservation and human-elephant interactions. Click the video above to watch a recording of the session.

As we wrap up September, we hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of Into the Wild. Our commitment to conservation inspires everything we do, and we hope it resonates with you as well. Here’s to a wonderful October filled with joy and inspiration!