In our 21 st century world, we humans are more than aware of all the know- how’s of the universe. We have manipulated our world in unprecedented ways, we have ‘developed’ and ‘progressed’ but unfortunately with an expensive cost. The cost of nature. Climate change and biodiversity destruction have now become an everyday talk- All this is quite known to us. Knowledge of these issues are not limited to those of the conservationist profession.
But we humans have found solutions too. We have global climate and biodiversity conferences; scientists and citizens are working towards novel ideas for climate change mitigation and the conservation and co-existence of the Earth’s biodiversity with us; more and more people are now conscience of their behaviour and their actions on the natural world and are working towards reducingtheir individual impact. I am fortunate and happy of being a minuscule part of a group of amazing people working towards conservation.
How I got interested in Wildlife
Starting with observing Laughing Doves’ nesting behaviour at home, I developed a strong inclination towards observing nature. Gradually over -time, a small pretty shining bird became a Purple Sunbird and a slimy frog in the bushes became a Polypedatus. I wished to delve deeper into understanding nature; and they say experiences are the greatest teachers. Being a part of Machaan herbivore counts in Protected Areas of Maharashtra for four years, was truly a Man (Actually Woman) vs Wild experience for me.
Observing and counting wild herbivores encountered in 24 hours sitting on a wooden platform (the machaan) amidst cold and sometimes rain in the middle of a jungle was no easy a task. But the thrill and the urge to be part of this count acted as a stepping stone towards my career pursual in wildlife biology. I got an opportunity to observe birds and herbivores from close quarters. I got to experience what truly a jungle is and my respect towards the Forest Department people soared greater than ever, realizing the extremely tough job that they do.
BNHS Leadership Course in Biodiversity Conservation
The emerald green trees clothed in wet mosses, serenely flowing streams, a thick blanket of clouds and a continuous heavy drizzle marks the evergreen rainforests of Amboli- at Western Ghats. I was there as part of field visit for the BNHS course- Leadership Course in Biodiversity Conservation and left a strong impression on me. Never had I observed herpetofauna at such great detail and I got to learn a lot about how to study them. From observing the morphological traits for genus identification; the amplexus, mating behaviour and the distinct calls of anuran species; the complexity of studying herps in tree canopies to the close encounter with venomous snakes.
My love for Herpetology
I was sure that I had discovered my specific area of interest. Herpetology is very crucial study in present day world as climate change induced warming is increasing temperatures round the globe. As herpetofauna are poikilothermic, they are very sensitive to temperature changes. Hence, studying their natural history, distribution, taxonomy etc. help in predicting the effects of climate change, habitat loss and invasive species on herps in particular and all the fauna in general. Over 41% of amphibians are classified in the threatened category of IUCN. I believe studying and raising awareness amongst people about these extremely sensitive organisms will help in their conservation. I am happy to be in an initial stage of working towards the same.
It was in NGOs like WWF and WILD- CER here at my local place, where I found a great exposure towards like-minded people working towards wildlife conservation. I learned a lot about insects. I also discovered the hows of conducting nature trails for various age group of people, especially the school students. School students form the best audience here. Imbibing a strong inclination towards nature and wildlife awareness early on will be greatly beneficial.
Roads, Birds and Reptiles
My greatest learning even though came from an internship with the Wildlife Institute of India. The project was about studying the avifaunal and herpeto-faunal diversity and abundance along the Nagpur- Mumbai Super-communication expressway, Samruddhi Mahamarg. I learned about using survey methods like point counts and time-restricted visual encounter surveys for birds and herps respectively. This study was one of the many which aim to uncover the true ecological devastation caused by linear infrastructure, such as roads.
An interesting component of the study was observing herps using night drive method. Along a particular length of the road, herps and their activity was observed sitting inside a vehicle for an hour at night. This method surely upskilled my herp detection ability. During the entire internship, I was able to spot a huge diversity of birds and herps. I also collected data on the same. I practically applied Excel for documentation and analysis of this data. This learning will be crucial for me further in my career.
Suggestions for Upcoming Conservationists!
Reading about how communication for wildlife studies should be done, especially with the locals and practically applying the same on the field, like many other things is quite different. During the internship, I got an opportunity to communicate with people (the locals) having a spectrum of views and ideas about wildlife conservation. Local people are the most affected stakeholders, and their views and co-operation are a strong pillar in wildlife conservation. Some people may argue my opinion to be naïve, but I believe conserving wildlife IS as hard as rocket science. The problems that are encountered are not just scientific but social too. But we humans have almost always found solutions for our self created problems. And the solutions are the result of our collective thinking and actions. The inclusion of wildlife mitigation structures, development of citizen science databases are the results of our own efforts. I wish to and surely will be an active part of the conservationists’ breed.
There are numerous young conservationists around India working on some wonderful projects. This includes lake rejuvenations, animal rights activism and research on rare species, such as Red Pandas. There is hope for India’s wildlife. You too can contribute to this journey to save wildlife.
Written by Vaishnavi Apte
Help us Help Them
Help us Help Them! Think Wildlife Foundation is a non profit organization with various conservation initiatives. Our most prominent campaign is our Caring for Pari intiative. Pari is a rehabilitated elephant at the Wildlife SoS Hospital. 25% of the profits from our store are donated to the elephant hospital for Pari. Other than buying our wonderful merchandise, you could donate directly to our Caring For Pari fundraiser.