The Asiatic caracal is India’s rarest wild cat. In fact, with the population estimated to be less than 100, the caracal is on the verge of becoming the second extinct species of cat in India after the recently reintroduced cheetah. In Episode 7, I explore the ecology and conservation of this fascinating cat with Shreyas […]

The Asiatic Lion is probably India’s finest conservation miracles. With less than 100 individuals remaining in the wild in the 1960s, the population has skyrocketed with an estimated 600-800 lions roaming the forests of Saurashtra. In 2018, over 50 lions were lost due to an outbreak of the canine distemper disease. Moreover, the range of

In Episode 5 of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I am joined by Mayank Shukla, Anshita Das and Arjun Srivathsa from The Dhole Project. Launched in 2016, The Dhole Project aims to conduct research on Asiatic wild dogs or ‘dholes’ to better understand their ecological requirements and protect their populations in India. The dhole is one

In August 2022,  I had the very good fortune to explore the mountains of Dras, Kargil in search of one of India’s rarest terrestrial mammals – the Himalayan Brown Bear. Listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List, there are less than 500 individuals remaining in the wild scattered across Western Himalayas and the

In Episode 3 of this season, I am joined by Dr. Sophie Rassmusen, a Research Fellow at University of Oxford and Linacre College Research Associate at WildCRU. Popularly referred to as Dr. Hedgehog, Sophie is at the forefront of hedgehog conservation and research. Unfortunately, scientific research from several European countries indicate that the population of

Owls are amongst the most ecologically and culturally important group of birds in India. They act as biocontrol agents due to their predation of rodent and insect pests in agricultural and urban landscapes. Not only does this reduce the dependence of pesticides in agricultural areas but also preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases. Owls, especially

Welcome to Season 3 of The Think Wildlife Podcast. It has been almost two years since I began the Podcast and have had the good fortune of interviewing nearly 100 conservationists around the world. This season consists of another 50 episodes, with topics ranging from nature tech and bioacoustics to conservation filmmaking, the illegal wildlife

The Climate Crisis is imminent. However, despite the urgency of the crisis, there is still a severe lack of diversity and inclusivity in the climate and conservation sector. Women continue to be marginalized from the political sphere because of gender stereotypes, lack of access, and socio-economic-structural barriers.  Tackling this is the organization “She Changes Climate”,

Tasmania, the land of the endangered Tasmanian Devil and the extinct Tasmanian tiger, is one of Australia’s most biodiverse regions. Various species of possums, wallabies, seals, penguins, and platypus roam the island state.  Unfortunately, the region’s rich ecosystem is under severe threat from habitat clearance and degradation, amplified by the spread of invasive plants and