By Purva Variyar
Conservation is not just about activists and field biologists – it is replete with niche players. It is amazing to think of the varied professional backgrounds and specialisations of those working in wildlife conservation. Broadly defined communities of experts such as scientists, artists, writers, and activists are often talked about, but it is the eclectic and extreme specialists who make up the very fabric of nature conservation that intrigue me. While conservation undoubtedly relies on the bedrock of science, it still requires myriad specialists, both from science and non-science backgrounds, to achieve the common goal of environmental protection, preserving and restoring ecosystems for the benefit of biodiversity and people. And therein lies its beauty.
As a Conservation and Science Writer/Editor with the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), I have been fascinated by specialisations we see in nature, be it a grassland specialist such as the Great Indian Bustard; or a highly specialised partnership between a plant and a pollinator such as the plant-fig wasp mutualism where both exclusively depend on each other for survival. More such fascinating specialisations abound in nature and I realised that, interestingly, nature conservation mirrored nature.
I spoke with some intrepid women professionals in conservation to paint a picture of the length and breadth of the exciting diversity this field can accommodate. I chose to feature these seven women, some of whom are my colleagues at WCT, who chose to work in specialised niches to excel in their careers while contributing to conservation. I asked them a common question –
Read on to know what they had to say:
“I belong to the Bugun tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. The cultural roots of my people are deeply entwined with that of the forest. We have always worshipped the biodiversity around us, but until recently, never looked at our forest through the lens of nature conservation.” – Shaleena Phinya Photo Courtesy: Shaleena Phinya.
Shaleena Phinya, Coordinator, Forest Protection Squad, Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, and Wildlife Filmmaker
“I belong to the Bugun tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. The cultural roots of my people are deeply entwined with that of the forest. We have always worshipped the biodiversity around us, but until recently, never looked at our forest through the lens of nature conservation. For me, when the opportunity to work with conservationists such as Nandini Velho, and the Green Hub Fellowship (see page 88) arose, it steered me towards protecting and documenting the rich biodiversity in the Singchung Village where I lived.
Today, I am a part of the forest patrolling squad for the Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve and take immense pride in the fact that our community reserve is a first-of-its-kind for Arunachal Pradesh where an indigenous community, that I belong to, has come together with the Forest Department to protect a forest. As a forest ranger, I work to protect our community forest and as a filmmaker I document the incredible biodiversity and rich cultures to create awareness and shed light on the issues that threaten our forests and our way of life.”
“I have been inspired to contribute towards environmental conservation since I can remember, and view the law as a means to an end.” – Mridula Vijairaghavan Photo Courtesy: Mridula Vijairaghavan.
Mridula Vijairaghavan, Environmental Lawyer, WCT
“I view policy and the law as effective tools for environmental conservation. Good law and policy are often at the heart of conservation success stories. In fact, I believe that effective policy is one of the reasons why India has managed to conserve so much of its wildlife and habitat despite sharing space with1.3 billion people.
As an environmental lawyer, I strive to ensure better implementation of existing law, and for strong pro-environment law and policy. This directly impacts the state of our wilds and of people’s rights.
I have been inspired to contribute towards environmental conservation since I can remember, and view the law as a means to an end. I’m motivated by our culture that has a strong focus on conservation and by the people I work with – colleagues, communities and most importantly, frontline Forest Department staff.”
“That’s every conservation filmmaker’s goal – to enable every person watching with the power and ability to take charge and make change.” – Eshika Fyzee Photo Courtesy: Eshika Fyzee.
Eshika Fyzee, National Geographic Explorer and Wildlife Filmmaker
“As the realm of wildlife filmmaking becomes more and more impact driven, my role as a wildlife filmmaker is to tell important stories, talk about important issues, and make sure impact doesn’t stop at just messaging. There have been numerous conservation films in the past, which have instigated a massive shift in audience behaviour, consequently leading to public pressure and policy change. That’s every conservation filmmaker’s
goal – to enable every person watching with the power and ability to take charge and make change.
What stimulates me is the world of possibilities that wildlife media brings with it, how quickly the field is evolving, and how it stands as one of the most powerful and influential tools we have today to make a significant impact in the field of conservation.”
“It brings me joy when people come back to me with a twinkle in their eye, sharing their transformed views towards nature and wildlife around them.” – Akshaya Zachariah Photo Courtesy: Akshaya Zachariah.
Akshaya Elizabeth Zachariah, Independent Illustrator & Graphic Designer
“As a city girl, I watched the beautiful city of Bengaluru turn into a filter of dusty grey with ever shrinking local biodiversity. I grew up with art and wildlife, and listening to stories of people in the wild only bolstered my longing to work for conservation someday. After quitting my nine-to-five job in 2018, I wanted to use my art for meaningful causes and practice slow living.
I believe that if I have the means to raise awareness and bring communities together, I will pursue that path. I use my experiences from travels, my art journals, and lately, birding to share illustrated stories and facts with those who follow my work. From the ‘Endangered Species’ series, to the latest ‘Birds of India’ desk calendar, it brings me joy when people come back to me with a twinkle in their eye, sharing their transformed views towards nature and wildlife around them!”
“What motivates me to work on protecting the fishing cat and its habitat is the realisation that our fate is tied to its fate. If the species suffers, it means, in the very near future we are going to suffer.” – Tiasa Adhya Photo Courtesy: Tiasa Adhya.
Tiasa Adhya, Co-founder, The Fishing Cat Project, Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance; Member to IUCN Cat Specialist Group; & Researcher, The University of Transdisciplinary Health Sciences and Technology
“The species that has given me a purpose in life and on which I work is the fishing cat, a globally endangered wild cat species that thrives in wetlands. It occurs in the major floodplains and deltas of South and Southeast Asian countries starting from the Indus in Pakistan all the way to the Mekong floodplains and delta region encompassing Cambodia and Vietnam. It is also found in the island country of Sri Lanka and Java. The fishing cat is a top predator in its ecosystem and a key indicator of well-functioning wetlands.
What do functional wetlands mean for us? Everything – food baskets, purified water reservoirs and carbon sinks. What motivates me to work on protecting the fishing cat and its habitat is the realisation that our fate is tied to its fate. If the species suffers, it means, in the very near future we are going to suffer from drought, floods, food shortage and other intensifying impacts of climate change. Since the fishing cat distribution range lies mostly outside Protected Areas, we need to work on socio-ecologically sensitive conservation models. My conservation journey so far has been to advocate for such approaches involving multiple stakeholders.”
“The link between wildlife crime and trafficking of arms, drugs and humans, and the proven effectiveness of evidence-based policing really motivates me in my work, which is to help frontline forest staff improve their investigation of wildlife crime.” – C. Samyukta Photo Courtesy: C. Samyukta.
C. Samyukta, Forensics Expert, WCT
“Wildlife crime has been identified as one of the major drivers for the decimation of wild species and their habitats. Leading international organisations, like United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), have also verified the link between the monies that are generated through wildlife crime and the top-three unorganised crimes that plague mankind – the trafficking of arms, drugs, and humans.
This link between these crimes and the proven effectiveness of evidence-based policing really motivates me in my work, which is to help frontline forest staff improve their investigation of wildlife crime; increase their chances of bringing wildlife offenders to justice; and conserve wildlife through better enforcement of law.”
“Transition to nature conservation was an outcome of the intention to apply good economics to development issues.” – Pooja Dewoolkar Photo Courtesy: Pooja Dewoolkar.
Pooja Dewoolkar, Economist, WCT
“I studied economics, data science and analytics until my master’s programme, only to realise in my final year the yawning gaps that exist between conventional economic theories and the equilibria that present themselves in the real world. It was then that I realised that being able to apply these subjects well requires inclusion of ecology and correct estimation of the value that natural resources hold for us. Transition to nature conservation was thus an outcome of the intention to apply good economics to development issues.
To be able to apply my core subjects in a way that takes into consideration development strategies holistically, that is, being inclusive of often-excluded externalities that get stacked against nature in such plans, is a driving force for me. I see it largely as a selfish gain to study interesting problems and hopefully find solutions that might help protect what we, as a species, should be valuing the most.”
