Meet Aaliya Mir, a former Maths teacher turned wildlife rescuer from Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. From leopards to snakes, Aaliya climbs ladders and enters risky terrains to save animals.
“Another leopard was spotted in the CCTV footage of the Budgam village. It is not easy to rescue the animal on the same day. We have been trying to rescue this leopard since last week,” shares Aaliya, who leads rescues for Wildlife SOS, a non-profit rehabilitating wildlife.
With over 14 years of experience, Aaliya has rescued 2 leopards, 2 turtles, 3 bears, 6 monkeys, 16 raptors, and 88 reptiles. She also conducts censuses and workshops across the valley.
“People must avoid shortcuts through forests and secure their dustbins to prevent bears. Livestock should wear bells to alarm villagers of wild animals,” she advises, sharing her tips for coexistence.
One memorable rescue involved a mother bear and two cubs in Pulwama. “That rescue was very challenging because we had to keep them united. We shot the mother with a tranquiliser, but she still managed to run away,” she says.
Beyond rescues, Aaliya bridges gaps between locals, the government, and wildlife departments who are ignorant. “We have had to educate even the so-called educated here about wildlife,” she notes.
“People used to swarm the areas where wildlife is spotted with lathis (sticks) and khakis (axes). They’d drive the animal away by stoning or hitting them,” she says, emphasising that “controlling the mob” has been one of their biggest achievements.
Aaliya’s husband, Dr Shabir Ahmed, admires her passion. “It can be terrifying when she handles wild animals, especially bears, leopards and snakes. But I know that she is experienced and she can handle all of this very well. I feel very proud of her work,” he shares.