The Think Wildlife Podcast

In this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast , we dive into the dynamic intersection of conservation, climate finance, and community-driven solutions with Mike Korchinsky, the founder and president of Wildlife Works . Our conversation explores how market-based mechanisms such as carbon credits and REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) are revolutionizing the way we...

In this insightful and action-driven episode, we welcome Oliver Bolton, CEO and co-founder of Earthly , a pioneering startup dedicated to protecting and regenerating more than 1% of the planet by 2030. Earthly provides businesses with a trustworthy, high-impact way to invest in nature-based climate solutions that drive carbon reduction, biodiversity restoration, and social impact. Throughout the e...

Join host Anish in this insightful episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast as he sits down with Dr. Nick Askew, the founder of Conservation Careers . Discover how Dr. Askew’s passion for wildlife, from his early days as a teenage angler to his impactful global conservation career has led to helping over 700,000 conservationists worldwide. In this episode, we discuss the most in-demand conservation j...

Join us for an insightful deep dive into the world of marine conservation, coral reef resilience, and the blue economy with Dr. David Obura, one of the world’s leading marine ecologists and the founding director of CORDIO East Africa . CORDIO is a pioneering organization working to protect coral reefs and sustain marine ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean. Dr. David Obura received a PhD from th...

In this Episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I am joined by Dr. Laurie Marker, the founder and Executive Director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) . Founded in Namibia in 1990, CCF has become the leading authority in cheetah conservation globally, with projects across Somaliland, Namibia, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa and Botswana. Beyond Africa, CCF also has supported the conservation of...

The gharial, a Critically Endangered species, is an unmistakable crocodilian on the edge of extinction. Recognizable by its long, slender jaws adapted for catching fish, males have a distinctive bulbous growth on their snouts called a "ghara," which is named after a traditional Indian pot. This unique feature is also the basis for the species' common name, "gharial." Unlike other crocodiles, ghari...

In Episode 14, I am joined by one of India’s leading conservation filmmakers, Rita Banerji. She is the founder of Dusty Foot Productions and the Dusty Foot Foundation, through which  Green Hub established in 2014. As  An Ashoka Fellow, Rita is the winner of multiple Green Oscars for her films on wildlife and environment.  Rita was inducted as an Ashoka Fellow for the Green Hub project in 2019. Thr...

Many of the world’s poorest communities are among tribal and indigenous populations . Trapped in a relentless cycle of extreme poverty, vulnerability, and deprivation, they face a complex web of challenges that are deeply interconnected. These communities are the most vulnerable to the onset of climate change and environmental degradation. Increased water scarcity, soil instability and deforestati...

Earlier this year, Amazon Prime released the thrilling crime drama “Poacher” which revolved around the elephant poaching crisis and ivory trade in 2015. Based in Kerala, the series explores how the Forest Department, with support from NGOs and conservationists, risked their lives to investigate and tackle the lucrative illegal ivory trade. One of the protagonists of the webseries, Alan Joseph, is...

In Episode 11, I am joined by Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, a renowned rhino conservationist. He is the Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer of  Aaranyak , the leading conservation NGO in Northeast India, and a Senior Advisor at the International Rhino Foundation. We discuss the remarkable recovery of the Greater One-Horned Rhino in Assam. Bibab elaborates on how conservation efforts revived the...

In Episode 10 of Season 3, I am joined by Neha Singh, the founder of Forest Regeneration and Sustainability Trust (FORREST). Neha elaborates upon the Trust’s work on ecosystem restoration in urban and agricultural landscapes. This includes habitat restoration in Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai, wetland restoration in Jamshedpur and the Farmers for Bird Conservation initiative. She also talks...

In Episode 9 of this season, I am joined by Kayden Anthony, a wildlife biologist with a knack of digital marketing and content creation. Kayden is the founder of Nature’s Eye , which strives to bring informative and educational content, ranging from biomonitoring, ecological data analysis and remote sensing. In this episode, he talks about the role of digital media in wildlife conservation. Additi...

In Episode 8, I am joined by Moumita Chakraborty, a Eastern Himalayas Consultant at the Global Tiger Forum, to discuss red panda conservation . During her PhD at the Wildlife Institute of India, Moumita studied the habitat suitability of Red Panda in the Sikkim to identify the priority areas for the conservation. She also studied the relationship between red panda and people in the habitat. Listed...

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 Vijay, the founder of the Caracal Conservation and Research Project (CCRP). We...

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 the Gir lion has spread well beyond the forests of Gir Nati...

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 of India’s most charismatic predators, with their range spreading a...

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 Karakoram Mountains. Drass in the Kargil District of Ladakh and the neighbou...

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 European hedgehogs is in decline all...

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 barn owls are often revered as a symbol of the...

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 trade , marine ecology and ecosystem restoration . In...

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 ”, with the aim of dri...

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 feral mammals . The...

The Daintree Rainforest, located on the northeastern coast of Queensland , is amongst the most pristine rainforests globally. Over 10 million years older than the Amazon Rainforest, the Daintree is part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland. This forms the largest contiguous rainforest in Australia. Countless endemic species of avifauna are found in the Daintree, such as the golden bowerbirds , tooth-b...

The Grevy’s Zebra is the largest extant species of equid in the world. Unfortunately, the species is listed as “Endangered” by the IUCN Red List . With less than 2,000 wild individuals found in pockets of Kenya and Ethiopia , the Grevy’s Zebra is the most threatened of the three zebra species. In the 20th Century, hunting for their skins was the primary threat to the species. However, the species...

Coraf Reefs around the world are under severe threat. It is estimated that around 10% of the global coral reefs are dead while about 60% are under severe threat due to anthropogenic pressure.  Climate change remains the primary threat to coral reefs around the world, with increasing sea temperatures catalyzing coral bleaching, which results in the death of reefs. Additionally, increased frequency...