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Dear First name / friend,
 
June at CWS was a month of movement, across wilderness, continents and ideas!
 
From hands-on training in Karnataka to global conversations on science and conservation, our team spent June making impact visible. Starting the month with our annual Wild Carbon training, participants got their hands dirty (literally!) learning about agroforestry practices and use of technology.
 
Our scientists showcased CWS research at major international events, sharing insights and learning from peers across the world. Back home, we paused to honor the extraordinary legacy of Valmik Thapar, a pioneer of tiger conservation and a powerful voice for wild India, whose influence lives on in the work we do every day.
 
In this edition of Into the Wild, we bring you milestones big and small, spotlight our team’s achievements, and offer a peek into how our work is connecting people and places, both near and far.
Dr. Vikram Aditya and Yashendu Joshi at the 2025 International Congress for Conservation Biology, Australia 
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Our Principal Scientist, Dr. Vikram Aditya, and Doctoral Fellow, Yashendu Joshi, attended the 2025 International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB) in Brisbane, Australia, from 16th to 20th June 2025. The ICCB, organised biennially by the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB), is the largest global gathering of ecologists and conservation biologists.
 
On 16th June, Dr. Aditya presented his paper titled, “Human Impacts on Mammal Temporal Activity Patterns in the Northern Eastern Ghats of India.” His talk was part of the session titled "Protected and Conserved Areas." The talk focused on the temporal activity patterns of large and medium sized mammals within and in the buffer of the Papikonda National Park, in the landscape, and how they were partitioned in relation to each other and human activity. Yashendu was invited to present in a symposium titled, "Operationalization of Frameworks To Integrate Formal and Experiential Knowledge For Effective Species and Ecosystem Conservation In Asia". His talk and poster focused on methodological approaches to study localized interpretations of crocodile behavior and vernacular ethologies. 
 
On 19th June, Yashendu was also a panel member in a discussion titled, "(Unintended) Consequences of Conservation: Allyship for just conservation". In this symposium, he talked about place based attachment and types of conservation-led displacements. The discussion focused on relocation and protected area management, green militarization, and genuine inclusion of local and Indigenous knowledge systems to envision what it means to be an ally in just and decolonized approaches to conservation.
Dr. Krithi K. Karanth at the 2025 Frontiers Planet Prize Awards Ceremony, Switzerland
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Dr. Krithi K. Karanth participated as a jury member of 100 in the 2025 Frontiers Planet Prize Awards Ceremony held in Switzerland from 16th to 18th June. This prestigious event celebrates pioneering achievements in environmental conservation, sustainability, and climate action. It brings together leading scientists, policymakers, and changemakers committed to tackling the planet’s most urgent ecological challenges through innovation and collaboration. At the ceremony, three international champions were each awarded 1 million US dollars to support scientific breakthroughs with the greatest potential to stabilise the planet’s ecosystem. Congratulations to the three International Champions of the 2025 Frontiers Planet Prize, Dr. Arunima Malik (University of Sydney), Prof. Zahra Kalantari (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden), and Dr. Zia Mehrabi (University of Colorado Boulder), each awarded $1 million to scale their groundbreaking research addressing some of the planet’s most urgent ecological challenges.
CWS conducts Annual Wild Carbon Team Training at H.D. Kote
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On 2nd and 3rd June 2025, CWS hosted its Annual Wild Carbon Team Training for 21 participants. The two-day program, facilitated by Ganesh Honwad, Nagachandan Honnur and Mr. P.M. Muthanna, covered foundational agroforestry concepts, baseline survey methods, and effective use of software tools and equipment. Mr. Shivlinga D., an external resource person with over 33 years of experience in sustainable agriculture and forestry, conducted a session on the agriculture-horticulture-forestry model, emphasizing species selection and the importance of understanding soil, landscape, and community challenges. The training also provided practical skills in data collection using drones, GPS devices, and survey techniques.
In Memoriam
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We are deeply saddened by the passing of Valmik Thapar, a towering figure in Indian conservation, a tireless advocate for the tiger, and a champion of India’s wildlife and wild places. His unwavering commitment to wildlife protection, bold leadership, and extraordinary influence shaped decades of conservation policy and action in India. Valmik’s passion, courage, and vision will continue to inspire generations of conservationists. His voice may be silent, but its echo will resound through the forests he fought so hard to protect.
 
Dr. K. Ullas Karanth, Emeritus Director says, "Conservationists in Karnataka, who enjoyed Valmik’s support on key issues that we tackled, such as the closure of the Kudremukh mine, conservation resettlement from wildlife reserves, improving tiger science and supporting law enforcement on ground when the forest department was resource-starved, will remember him fondly. The Tiger’s Roar has gone silent, but we will all continue to hear its echoes."
New York Times Article Celebrating Valmik Thapar
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An article published in The New York Times on 9th June 2025 celebrates the life of Indian conservationist Valmik Thapar. He spent his life writing to protect tigers from poaching, habitat loss, and government policies. The article quotes Dr. K. Ullas Karanth who says, “[Valmik] used his deep political and media connections to widely publicize the ‘tiger crisis’.” Thapar had served on many state and federal committees dedicated to the conservation of wildlife. To read more, click here.
Media
New India Water Portal Article Authored by Dr. Vikram Aditya
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An article published in India Water Portal on 12th June 2025, authored by Dr. Vikram Aditya, Principal Scientist and Faculty at CWS and Aditi Sajwan, explores the changing world of seaweed harvesting in Tamil Nadu’s Gulf of Mannar. It documents the lives of coastal women divers, the region’s rich marine biodiversity, and the shifting dynamics between traditional practices, cultivation, and conservation. To read the article, click here.
Article featuring our Wild Incubator Tech Grantee
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An article published on MSN on 15th June 2025 highlights the escalating plastic waste crisis in Goa, intensified by La Niña weather patterns. The piece features our Wild Incubator Tech Grantee, WWF India, showcasing innovative solutions aimed at tackling this growing environmental challenge. 
 
The Wildlife Tech Incubator aims to foster India-specific innovations in wildlife conservation. To alleviate stress from ocean pollution, supported by Wild Incubator Tech, WWF India has designed a remote sensing and machine learning based software which identifies and maps floating off-shore plastic debris. To read the article, click here.
Stories from the field
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"Our time in the field was filled with rich experiences and heartfelt conversations. One memorable encounter was with a woman living in a village near Nagarahole National Park in Karnataka. Her perspective on elephants, shaped by decades of living in proximity to the forest, deeply fascinated us.
 
She has lived near the park for nearly 31 years and is responsible for farming in her family. She cultivates sweet potato and ginger in rotation, selling the produce at the local market. During our conversation, she spoke candidly about her daily sightings of elephants and the challenges that come with sharing space with these majestic animals.
 
We discussed the damages to her crops over the years, and the impact this has had on her livelihood. Naturally, we expected some resentment toward the animal. But when we asked her how she felt about them, her response surprised us. She said, “When last night the elephant had come, it just pushed the fig tree roots and stood there. So I said to my son, ‘Look, this is not an elephant. Lord Ganesha himself has come here and gone.’ For that, we both laughed—but I was happy about it. Yet still, it damages all our crops, which we depend on for a living.”
 
Despite the losses she faced, her reverence for the elephant as Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity revered in Hinduism, remained strong. Her response reflected a profound religious and cultural association to the animal, motivated by faith.
 
As we bid her farewell, the team and I were left reflecting on the conversation. It reminded us that human-elephant relationships are layered with emotion, belief, and resilience. These interactions carry a depth of meaning, and they continue to evolve in multiple fascinating and unique ways."
 
- Simran Prasad, Doctoral Fellow
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"During our Wild Surakshe workshop at the Central Hatchery in Chengannur, participants shared personal experiences during the doubt-clearing session. One participant from Chengannur Taluk recounted a distressing incident where her neighbour was bitten by a snake. Due to a lack of awareness, the family believed they needed to identify the snake before seeking treatment, which caused them to waste precious time searching for it. However, through the Wild Surakshe session, she learned that a single antivenom is used for all of the "big four" venomous snakes in India. She expressed her intention to share this valuable information with her community, adding that the session provided important insights she had never known before."
 
- Shal Sabeel, Project Coordinator
Publications
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Karanth, K. U., Chundawat, R. S., Nichols, J. D., & Kumar, N. S. (2004). Estimation of tiger densities in the tropical dry forests of Panna, Central India, using photographic capture–recapture sampling. Animal Conservation, 7(3), 285–290.
 
A study from Panna Tiger Reserve highlights the power of science and strategy in wildlife conservation. With innovative camera-trap surveys and a focus on prey abundance, the research reveals promising tiger densities and showcases the untapped potential of India's tropical dry forests. This success story emphasizes the critical role of habitat protection, anti-poaching measures, and community engagement in securing a future for tigers. To read more, click here.
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Kumar, N. S., Harihar, A., O’Kelly, H. J., Pattanavibool, A. (2017). Field Practices: Estimating Abundance of Prey Species Using Line Transect Sampling. In: Karanth, K., Nichols, J. (eds) Methods For Monitoring Tiger And Prey Populations. Springer, Singapore.
 
Ever wondered how scientists count deer across vast forests? The answer lies in line with transect surveys—a blend of meticulous fieldwork, statistical rigor, and ecological intuition. From randomized paths that dodge bias to strict protocols ensuring accuracy, this method turns footsteps into data that saves species. To read more, click here.

As June wraps up, we are catching our breath and carrying the momentum forward. Whether in the field or on the world stage, this month was all about building connections, growing capacity, and staying rooted in our mission. Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support keeps us going, and we can’t wait to share what’s next!
 
Warm regards,
Media and Outreach Team 
Centre for Wildlife Studies
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