Simply Wild with Mansab

Did you grow up thinking the Nine-Tailed Fox was just a monster sealed inside Naruto Uzumaki? The real story of the Japanese Kitsune is far stranger, older, and more fascinating than you can imagine. We pull on the thread of the Kurama legend and unravel a 1,500-year-old myth that's hiding in plain sight. Join me on Simply Wild as we journey deep into Japanese folklore to uncover the truth be...

They were the companions of emperors and the ghosts of the Indian grasslands. Then, they were gone. In this episode of Simply Wild, we uncover the epic history of the Asiatic cheetah—from its golden age as a royal hunting partner in the Mughal Empire to the tragic silence that followed its extinction in the wild. But the story doesn't end there. We dive into the ambitious, high-stakes, and con...

A king without a kingdom. A roar on the verge of silence. The Asiatic lion, a symbol of Indian royalty for millennia, was hunted to the brink of extinction. By the early 1900s, fewer than 20 survived in a single forest. The end seemed inevitable. But then, one man made a choice that changed history. In this episode of Simply Wild, we uncover the dramatic story of the Gir lions and the one ruler, N...

They weren’t just jewels and gold. They were the heart of an empire. In this episode of Simply Wild, we uncover the incredible story of the Peacock Throne, a masterpiece with priceless gems, crafted by Emperor Shah Jahan to symbolize Mughal power and glory. From its breathtaking construction to its daring theft during a brutal invasion, we trace how this lost treasure became one of history’s great...

They weren’t just horses. They were war machines. In this episode of Simply Wild , we uncover how two wildly different breeds, the loyal Marwari and the fast, powerful Turkic warhorses, rewrote the fate of Indian kingdoms. From Maharana Pratap's brave steed Chetak to Babur’s thunderous cavalry, we track how hooves redrew borders and dethroned emperors. This is not just a story of animals in hi...

Why did India’s vultures vanish overnight? What caused one of the fastest bird population collapses in history? In this gripping episode of Simply Wild , we unpack the chilling true story behind India’s vulture crisis — a mysterious disappearance that baffled scientists and devastated ecosystems. From sacred sky burials to a killer veterinary drug, we dive deep into how diclofenac , a common paink...

Can a name change the course of history? In this hilarious yet sobering episode of Simply Wild , we dive into the bizarre true stories behind two legendary birds — the Great Indian Bustard and the Dodo — and how their unfortunate names may have played a part in their tragic fates. You’ll learn: Why India almost chose a bird with a risky-sounding name as its national symbol How European sailors gav...

What do Mughal emperors and modern fighter pilots have in common? Falcons. In this episode of Simply Wild , we trace the incredible story of falconry in India — from Emperor Akbar’s elite aerial hunting departments to Jahangir’s obsession with painting his prized birds. These weren’t just hunting companions; they were political gifts, power symbols, and feathered missiles trained to kill at 300 km...

Before steel, before gunpowder — India had a secret weapon. And it walked on four legs. In this premiere episode of Simply Wild , we explore the forgotten, massive role of the Indian elephant in shaping the subcontinent’s history. From the ancient war manuals of Chanakya to the thunderous standoff at the Battle of Hydaspes, where Alexander the Great met his match, this isn’t just animal trivia — i...

Long before wildlife documentaries, India had a real-life predator problem. In this episode of Simply Wild , we dive into the chilling true story of the Champawat tiger — a man-eating predator that claimed over 400 lives in the hills of Kumaon. As entire villages lived in fear, one man was called to track her down: Jim Corbett. Part true crime, part wildlife thriller, this is the story of one of t...

Forget barking guard dogs or playful pets — India’s royal hounds were bred for war, speed, and prestige. In this episode of Simply Wild , we uncover the elite canine athletes of Indian history — from the imported Salukis of the Mughal court to the desi champions of the Deccan and North India. These sighthounds weren’t just fast. They were status. Strategy. Symbols of who ruled the land — and how....

Step into the untamed chapters of history where the real power players had tusks, claws, wings and sometimes a vendetta. Simply Wild is a high-energy storytelling podcast that unearths the most unexpected, animal-powered tales from India's past. Hosted by writer and wildlife researcher Mansab (Hey, that's me), this show dives into forgotten stories where elephants shaped empires, horses decided ba...

What if I told you that some of the most important players in history… weren’t human? I’m Mansab — a wildlife researcher, writer, and lifelong story guy. Simply Wild is my way of bringing two obsessions together: the natural world, and the strange, forgotten corners of human history. In each episode, I tell you one wild, true story where animals shaped our world — sometimes as weapons, sometimes a...