Wild At Heart

The Wildlife Trust of India is transforming the Greater Manas landscape by reviving habitats, reintroducing wildlife, and empowering local communities. Their long-term conservation efforts have restored ecological balance and renewed hope for one of India’s most iconic landscapes.

The birds are singing once again across the wetlands of India. And a unique project, that is transforming farmers, boat ferrymen and teachers into wetland mitras, is behind this.

Bittu Sahgal, one of India’s strongest environmental advocates, has long shown how journalism can be a powerful tool for protecting the wild. Through Sanctuary Asia magazine, he has used storytelling and reportage not just to inform, but to rally people to defend nature.

Through land acquisition, habitat restoration, and community-led conservation, the Kannur Kandal Project is safeguarding Kannur’s fragile mangrove ecosystems.

From watching ants as a child to becoming India’s ‘Snakeman’, Romulus Whitaker’s life has been shaped by a deep curiosity for the wild. In this conversation, the Padma Shri awardee reflects on building iconic conservation institutions, protecting snakes, and saving lives through antivenom work with indigenous communities.

Trained to handle snakes, read animal tracks, and manage wildlife emergencies, local residents now lead the response when animals stray into villages. Their work is reducing conflict while keeping both communities and wildlife safe.

Think of an elephant corridor as a conduit, a migratory route from one habitat to another. But what happens when roads are built over these routes? This unique project is mapping out elephant corridors to ensure gentle giants can migrate without clashing with communities.

The Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust, established by Rinchen Wangchuk and led by Dr Tsewang Namgail, champions the harmonious coexistence of villagers and snow leopards in Ladakh through its insurance schemes and sustainable tourism initiatives, fostering ecological balance in the region.

In Bandhavgarh’s fringe villages, where tiger attacks and forest fires are a painful reality, children are emerging as unexpected conservation leaders. Led by conservationist Bhavna Menon through Prakriti Ki Pathshala and the ‘Junior Fire Watchers’, students are counselling families, preventing fires, and spreading awareness door-to-door.

With his camera as his voice, Mike Pandey’s 'Shores of Silence' stirred a nation’s conscience and secured the whale shark’s future in Indian waters.