The Think Wildlife Podcast

Once upon a time, Scotland was amongst the most biodiverse regions of Europe. However, over the last few centuries, Scotland, like the rest of the United Kingdom, lost most of its biodiversity. Megafauna, such as the European bison , brown bear , gray wolf, and European beavers, were all hunted to extinction. Moreover, the Scottish Highlands have also experienced rampant habitat degradation and lo...

Over the last few years, Artificial Intelligence has evolved immensely. Not surprisingly, advanced AI and machine learning algorithms are increasingly being incorporated in sectors across the world. One particular sector, which AI is revolutionizing is wildlife conservation ! With an increasingly urgent demand for effective and affordable conservation action, scientists, NGOs, and governments are...

India is home to over 65 million free-ranging dogs . The explosion in free-ranging dog populations around the country has stemmed from poor waste management, uncomprehensive pet ownership laws, and the vulture crisis. Unfortunately, this has led to an ecological crisis.   Countless endangered species, such as the Great Indian Bustard , Black-Necked Cranes, antelopes and deer regularly fall victim...

Wild Earth Allies protects vital areas of our natural world for the benefit of wildlife, habitats, and people by inspiring collaborative action. For decades, the organization has partnered with grassroots conservationists to conserve some of the most at-risk species around the world. These include endangered Asian elephants in Cambodia, critically endangered Grauer's gorillas in the Democratic Rep...

On this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview Markus Hofmeyr, who is the Director of the Rhino Recovery Fund (RRF). Launched in 2020 by the Wildlife Conservation Network , the RRF aims to protect rhinos from wildlife crime while also restoring their landscapes. The RRF is working towards the conservation of all five species of rhinos across Africa and Asia, aiming to tackle the illega...

One species of megafauna particularly impacted by climate change, is the polar bear. Considered “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List , less than 31,000 individual bears roam the Arctic and surrounding regions of Greenland, Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Svalbard. As Polar Bears are pagophilic (species that live on ice), they are severely threatened by the decline in sea ice due to climate change. A decl...

The African Wild Dog, more aptly known as the Painted Dog, is the largest wild canid species found in the entire African continent. The species is one of the rarest large carnivores in the world with the population of the species crashing from around 500,000 a hundred years ago, to an estimated 6,600 adult individuals today. It is for this reason that the species is listed as “Endangered” on the I...

Deforestation is one of the leading threats to biodiversity globally. The world is losing over 10 billion trees annually. Over half the three trillion trees on our planet have been lost. But why should you care? Because YOU are a victim of deforestation . Over 1.6 billion people directly rely on forests for subsistence, in the form of food, fuel, medicine, bushmeat, and fodder for livestock grazin...

The cheetah is symbolic of the African wilderness. However, once upon a time, the world’s fastest mammal, used to roam the plains of Asia, with their range extending from the Middle East across to northern parts of India . Unfortunately, the Asiatic Cheetah subspecies is now considered “Critically Endangered” by the IUCN Red List. Reports estimate, that there are less than 40 individuals left in t...

The Fishing Cat is a medium sized cat, discontinuously distributed across South and Southeast Asia. Currently, their range extends from India to Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. In India , the species is found in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal. In fact, the fishing cat is the State animal of West Bengal. A study from Keoladeo National Park found that fish...

The story of the Bengal Tiger is probably the pinnacle of India’s conservation miracles over the last few decades, especially following the enactment of Project Tiger. In fact, over the last 15 years, India’s tiger population has more than doubled. While this is promising, much work remains, as habitats continue to become fragmented, which fosters Human-Wildlife Conflict . Meanwhile, the threat of...

Sacred Groves are amongst the finest examples of in-situ conservation. Often as large as 500 hectares, Sacred Groves are undisturbed and communally protected forest patches that are dedicated to local folk deities. Social traditions which embody both social and ecological values encourage the preservation of Sacred Groves. As a result, these groves contain an invaluable gene pool and also conserve...

India is amongst the most biodiverse countries in the world, with a plethora of habitats, including tropical forests, grasslands , arid deserts, mangroves , and deciduous mountain forests. However, while much of India’s megafauna species have recovered miraculously from the brink of extinction, a major issue looms large. That is the sustainable use of the country’s tropical forests. Reports sugges...

Ecosystems around India are becoming increasingly fragmented . This is particularly concerning for megafauna species, such as tigers and elephants. Landscape connectivity is a vital component of megafauna conservation in India. This is because the dispersal of megafauna outside of existing reserves is critical to maintaining the genetic diversity of the larger population. The immense fragmentation...

Over the last decade, carbon neutrality and net zero have become the focus across governments, industries, corporations, scientists, and environmentalists. However, over the last few years, the linkage between the carbon and biodiversity crisis has come into the limelight. Restoring biodiversity and ecosystems around the world has become a crucial part in tackling, not only the climate crisis but...

One of the leading causes of biodiversity loss is habitat degradation . In terrestrial landscapes, this is primarily through rampant deforestation. Unfortunately, the direct impacts of deforestation and land degradation extend beyond the realms of biodiversity and climate change. Rural and tribal communities face the brunt of the socioeconomic consequences of deforestation. This ranges from increa...

India’s grasslands are amongst the most biodiverse in the world. From wolves and hyenas to blackbucks and gazelle and from the Great Indian Bustard to various species of cranes, these grasslands are pristine ecosystems. Moreover, grasslands play a vital role in the fight against climate change due to the large amongst of carbon sequestration they perform. However, grasslands are under severe press...

On Episode 15, I interview Vance Martin, looking back on his 40 years as president of The Wild Foundation. We cover a wide breadth of conservation topics, including  rewilding ,  Nature Needs Half, COP15 and  the roles of  indeginious communities in conservation .  Tune in to also learn about various of The Wild Foundation's intiatives, including the Rewilding Alliance, the Wolrd Wilderness Campag...

In 2023, India celebrated a major milestone in conservation . The 2022 tiger census yielded an estimated population of around 3,600 tigers, more than double of the 2010 numbers. Ever since the inception of Project Tiger in 1974, tigers, alongside various other megafauna species, including elephants, rhinos, and lions , have recovered from the brinks of extinction. Unfortunately, it is too early to...

The Corbett Foundation (TCF) is amongst India’s largest and oldest wildlife conservation organizations. It was established by the late Mr. Dilip D. Khatau and his wife, Mrs. Rina Khatau, on April 22, 1994. TCF works towards wildlife conservation in tandem with the sustainable development of forest-dwelling communities. Mr. Khatau was a former Member of the National Board for Wildlife in India and...

With an annual turnover of USD 199 million , the illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest illicit market in the world, after drugs, arms, and human trafficking. Amongst all known threats to wildlife, the illegal trade and consumption of wildlife is amongst the most significant and destabilizing. Moreover, the negative consequences of wildlife crime are not limited to natural ecosystems. Wildli...

With a growing consensus on the importance of nature-based solutions in tackling the climate crisis, one particular ecological concept has become highly prevalent. That is rewilding. Across the world, landscapes and species are making a return. This includes the Southern White Rhinos of South Africa, the Bengal Tiger and Asiatic Lion of India, and the wolves of Yellowstone National Park . Europe a...

Dr. Dhritiman Das is a scientisit at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust studying the world's smallest pig - the Pygmy Hog. This highly endangered species is found in the grasslands of Assam, with Manas and Kaziranga National Parks being strongholds. Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is working extensively to tackle the loss of the their grassland habitat , alongside the reintroduction of ca...

The Sacred Groves provides a platform for environmentally sensitive individuals  to support the conservation of indigenous natural forests and biodiverse habitats globaly. Using advanced analytics, smart contracting and contempary forest management practices, these forests will come under the protection of millions of inspired individuals. In Episode 10, we speak to Monisha Krishna about the idea...

Only 3% of India's land surface is classified as a Protected Area. It is no surprise, therefore, that large populations of megafauna, including wolves, elephants, leopards and even lions, are found outside  wildlife sanctuaries.  Human wildlife conflict  is inevitable. To counter this, a private-public model, much like what exists in the African continent, is required to protect India's wildlife....