Dear First name / friend,

 

In this edition of Into the Wild, we bring you exciting news from May as we celebrate some big milestones for all of us at CWS. Dr. Krithi K. Karanth, CEO of CWS, has been named the 2026 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year, an honor awarded to only 15 individuals and two teams globally since 2011.

 

Over the last eleven months, Dr. Karanth and CWS have received two other major recognitions: Dr. Karanth became the first Asian recipient of the 2026 Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize, while CWS became the first wildlife organisation to receive the 2025 John P. McNulty Prize.

 

This month we are excited to share a new film by Amazon on our Wild Carbon program, highlighting our efforts toward ecological restoration and climate-resilient livelihoods. In this edition we also announce the launch of our Wild Incubator Research Program 2026, which will provide up to three research grants of ₹10,00,000 each to support conservation projects in the Western Ghats.

We proudly celebrate the recognition of Dr. Krithi K. Karanth, Chief Executive Officer, as the 2026 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year. This is one of the National Geographic Society’s most distinguished honors. The award recognizes individuals whose achievements and spirit of exploration push boundaries while demonstrating a deep commitment to sharing knowledge on critical issues and creating lasting impact.

Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of the National Geographic Society said, “Krithi embodies the very best of what it means to be a National Geographic Explorer.”

 

Presented annually in partnership with Rolex, this prestigious award celebrates individuals whose work is focused on discovery and meaningful action for the planet. Since its inception in 2011, only 15 individuals and two teams worldwide have received this honor, placing Dr. Karanth among an exceptional global community of changemakers, and making her the first Asian recipient of this award. Learn more about what National Geographic or Rolex have to say!

We are excited to welcome Mr. Vikram Bhat to CWS as part of our Advisory Council! He is the CEO of SCALE, an organisation that enables funders, nonprofits and the government to collectively create systemic impact. He brings a diverse blend of nonprofit and corporate experience across various sectors such as education, government, technology, and finance. Until recently, Mr. Bhat served as Director of the Bangalore International Centre. He was also a part of the Education Task Force with the Government of Delhi, contributing to the transformation of Delhi's government schools. He has also held leadership roles at Dream a Dream and Teach For India, and prior to his career in the social sector, was the Vice President of Program Trading at Sanford Bernstein & Co. We are thrilled to have his expertise as we work together to safeguard India’s wildlife.

On the International Day for Biological Diversity, Amazon features a short film about our Wild Carbon program titled ‘Restoring forests in India, where wildlife and communities thrive together.’ Wild Carbon is the first program to be supported through Amazon’s Right Now Climate Fund. It explores how wildlife conservation can go hand-in-hand with the needs of local farmers, and how taking into account individual needs can help improve conservation prospects. 

 

Our research evaluating the program was published in Ecological Economics on 4th April 2026. This paper found that afforestation efforts and conservation initiatives work best when farmer choices are integrated into the conservation programs, and their economic needs are met alongside conservation goals. Read our paper authored by Dr. Danny Tobin and co-authored by Dr. Krithi K. Karanth alongside a global team of scientists and researchers. Click here to watch the film.

The John P. McNulty Prize official short film about our work titled ‘Refusing to Choose Between Animals and People’ has earned a Silver honor in Branded Content - Advocacy & Causes at the 47th Annual Telly Awards, which celebrates excellence in video and television media. The film was selected from a pool of nearly 14,000 entries. The films of McNulty co-laureate organizations Iftin Global and Future Caucus have also received Gold and Silver recognitions respectively. 

The Centre for Wildlife Studies is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the Wild Incubator Research Program supported by the VM Salgaocar Corporation Pvt. Ltd. This is a new initiative designed to support conservation research and action in the Western Ghats, focusing on Goa’s critical ecosystems. We are inviting proposals from organizations actively engaged in wildlife research and conservation, with a focus on projects that are innovative, applied, and solution-oriented. We are particularly seeking initiatives that address key challenges in habitat protection, wildlife monitoring, endemic species conservation, and human-wildlife coexistence. 

Through this program, up to three research grants of ₹10,00,000 each will be awarded to organizations tackling urgent conservation challenges affecting endemic and threatened wildlife, including but not limited to species such as the Slender Loris, Crocodile, and King Cobra. Selected organizations will also receive scientific mentorship and hands-on technical guidance from CWS and its partners to strengthen their impact on the ground. If your organization is working to safeguard Goa’s unique wildlife and ecosystems, we encourage you to apply and become part of a growing network committed to advancing conservation through research and action. Visit our website to know more. For queries, contact outreach@cwsindia.org 

 

This month marked an extraordinary moment for CWS' work in the media. Following Dr. Krithi K. Karanth’s recognition as the 2026 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year. The work of CWS and her achievement received widespread attention across more than 50 publications nationally and globally, with stories being covered in English, Hindi, Spanish, Mandarin, Czech, Portuguese and much more! You can explore a few of the featured stories here:

 

 

On 12th May 2026, Shreya Ray, Doctoral Fellow at CWS, received the Best Poster Award for presenting a poster outlining her thesis work at the Manipal Research Colloquium in Udupi. She delivered a five minute talk on her work alongside other prize winners. Chandan Pandey and Ishika Ramakrishna, Doctoral Fellows at CWS, also presented their posters at the colloquium. The event saw attendance by over 500 students from a variety of fields as part of the mandatory requirements of their PhD program. To know more about the CWS doctoral program, click here.

“It was a fine Wednesday morning in March. As I started for the field around 7 am in the morning, I could feel the spring breeze brushing on my face, carrying the smell of Mahua blossoms from the numerous trees spread around the forest. Mahua (Madhuca indica), locally known as Mahula in Odia, is one of the favourite foods of elephants and is also famous for having a slight intoxicating effect on them.

 

I stopped by the Forest guard quarters to pick up the watcher and the forest guard to venture inside the forests of Kalahandi North Division in Bhawanipatna Range, which was my field site for the day. On our way to the field while conversing with Manash sir, the forest guard, and Rocky bhai, the elephant squad watcher, I got to know that the elephants were in the location we were heading towards.

 

The forest felt alive—tall trees, dense bushes, deer, sambar, and birds calling at a distance. After a short walk, we saw almost 80 to 90 elephant dung barrels. We decided to deploy our first camera trap there and then followed the elephant tracks that led deep inside the jungle. I reached the resting place of elephants with fresh dung from that morning. The trees and lianas around were trampled by the giants, and there were scratch marks of tusks on the bark. That’s it, that was my second spot for camera trap deployment!  

 

I chose a big old teak tree to tie the camera trap and focused it on the plain area of the resting place. Suddenly, 28-30 elephants crossed in front of us. A matriarch, 4 older females of the herd, 12 sub-adults, 3 bulls, 6 juveniles, and 2 calves. All this while, they were all present in the forest, foraging around us silently, well aware of our presence, but only just choosing to be seen by us. I quickly opened my camera to capture them, but by the time I could click a picture, they had all disappeared back into the foliage as quickly as they arrived. It was the biggest herd I had ever seen inside the forest. I was captivated by the sight of them; my only regret being that I was unable to capture a good image on my camera. We started moving slowly in the other direction to avoid entering their habitat when I suddenly heard branches breaking. Rocky bhai was walking ahead, and I called out to him to stop and scan the area. Then, I noticed it.

 

Under a Mango tree was a giant tusker, savoring mango leaves. All of us felt it inside our hearts: nervousness, joy, excitement, and surprise. This time, I took out my phone and clicked a picture. It noticed us too, irritated by being stared at for too long and it falsely charged us. We stepped back, assuring the animal we were not a threat, but just mere humans captivated by its presence. It stared a little longer and signaled out a call. We felt it was time to move and let it enjoy the mangoes for breakfast. It was an eventful day in the field. I thanked the forest for one of the best experiences to date. I felt a deeper connection to the species I was working on, and since then, my purpose has been more driven for these giants."

 

- Akash Padhan, Research Fellow

 

While conducting a session at GUPS Pallikuth in Kerala, our Wild Shaale educator, Sona asked the students a simple question, “What are the problems that happen when wild animals come to our villages?” Immediately, several hands went up in response to her question. The students shared that crop damage and human injury were some of the most common problems in their area. Curious to know if anyone had personally experienced such situations, she asked the class if they would like to share their stories.

 

A student named Mehana Fathima K raised her hand and shared that her village was located close to Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary. Because of its proximity to the forest, animals like elephants, leopards, and wild boars frequently visit the area. Mehana explained that she often felt scared of wild animals. While elephants did visit the area, it was the wild boars that caused the most trouble. At night, people would hesitate to step outside due to the fear of encountering them. Many students nodded, indicating that they too had faced similar situations in their villages.

 

Sona took the discussion forward, using this opportunity to explain why wild animals entered human settlements and what safety measures people should follow when living close to forests. After the session, Mehana told the educator that until that moment, she had never understood why elephants entered her village even though there was a forest nearby. She now realized that it was because humans were destroying their habitat. Her words reflected a shift in perspective and showed how the discussion had helped her understand the situation from a different angle. However, she also shared that she was still afraid of the wild boars roaming near her home—showcasing the nuances that came with teaching children about human-wildlife conflict. This conversation highlighted both the fear and the growing awareness and empathy among students living close to forest areas. To know more about Wild Shaale, click here.

A forest with recovering prey, improved protection, and the ecological capacity to hold tigers, yet no breeding population. This blog covers a recent scientific paper led by Imran Siddiqui, Senior Field Conservationist at the Centre For Wildlife Studies, and reflects on Kawal Tiger Reserve to ask a broader question: what does it really take for large carnivores to return, beyond just rebuilding prey? To learn more, read our blog here.

For decades, our understanding of honey bee development has rested largely on temperate species. A study published this year in the Journal of Experimental Biology followed two tropical Asian honey bee species; the dwarf bee Apis florea and the eastern honey bee Apis cerana;  through the transition from nurse to forager, tracking hormones, proteins, and genes along the way. The central finding: where a colony nests, and how it is built, appears to shape how its workers develop but the broader picture that emerges may be more geographically specific. To learn more, read our blog here.

May brought several achievements, new beginnings, and much to look forward to in the months ahead. With World Environment Day approaching, the coming months promise to be busy and meaningful. As always, we thank you for your continued support and look forward to sharing more stories, research, and updates from our work for people and wildlife.

 

Warm Regards,

Dr. Krithi K. Karanth

Chief Executive Officer

Centre for Wildlife Studies