Sanctuary naTURE FOUNDATION

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Impact Report 2020-2021 1 Sanctuary naTURE FOUNDATION umar Sharma K umar

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2 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 3 CONTENTS

Message from the Founder 7 Campaigns 36

Message from THE CHAIR, ADVISORY BOARD 8 Leave Me Alone, Tiger Temple Takedown 38

Members of the ADVISORY Board 9 Giant Refugees, Save the Great Indian Bustard 39

A Brief History of Sanctuary 12 Save Dibang Valley 40

Outreach and Communication 14 Stop Slaughtering Wildlife 42

Sanctuary’s Publications 16 Events 44

The Sanctuary Nature Foundation 17 Sanctuary Debates 46

The 11th World Wilderness Congress 18 Sanctuary Wildlife Photography Awards 48

The Pandemic and its Impact 20 Sanctuary Wildlife Service Awards 52

Projects 22 Behind the Scenes 56

Kids for Tigers 24 The Sanctuary Team 58

Mud on Boots 28 Donors & Supporters 60

COCOON Conservancies 32 ratik Chorghe P ratik

4 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 5 Bittu Sahgal Founder, Sanctuary Nature Foundation Editor of Sanctuary Asia, ’s first and largest circulating wildlife and ecology magazine (1981) and Founder-Editor of Sanctuary Cub (1984).

A YEAR UNLIKE ANY OTHER We are passing through strange times. But the biosphere is self-repairing and, more than ever before, Sanctuary recognises the wisdom in communicating and cooperating as a survival strategy. The children Sanctuary influenced decades ago are now in drivers’ seats, poised to lead us to safe harbour. Sanctuary Asia and Sanctuary Cub, were never ‘just magazines’ – since their birth in the 1980s, they have evolved into strong movements that have led to the creation of diverse, yet umbilically connected projects. Kids for Tigers now reaches over a million children through one of India’s most successful school outreach programmes focused on and climate change. Our Mud on Boots project provides customised grants to gritty individuals working on the ground in virtually every biogeographic zone on the Indian subcontinent. Sanctuary’s COCOON Conservancies concept has been tested over the past five years at Gothangaon in and is currently poised to be scaled as a community-driven, rewilding initiative across the country. Our key? Ensure that diverse local communities are the primary beneficiaries of biodiversity restoration so they are the agents of positive change. To communicate the rationale for our mission, Sanctuary organises three annual events to spotlight conversation actions executed by individuals who are working to improve the lives of locals and our wildernesses. The Sanctuary Debates, styled after the iconic Oxford Union-style Debates, engage policy makers and implementers into the tri-junction of biodiversity, economics and climate change. The Sanctuary Wildlife Photography Awards coalesces multitudes of people behind the objective of turning wildlife photography into an effective conservation tool. The Sanctuary Wildlife Service Awards were instituted over two decades ago to honour India’s wildlife defenders who perform various roles as activists, lawyers, researchers, citizen scientists, educators, entrepreneurs and more. The Sanctuary Nature Foundation holds on to the ethics and ideals drilled into us by the likes of Dr. Sálim Ali, R.E. Hawkins, Humayun Abdulali, M. Krishnan, Kailash Sankhala, Dharmakumarsinhji and scores of others who, in the early 1980s, helped Sanctuary magazine take its first tentative steps towards wildlife conservation horizons of the kind never quite tried before in India. And now, 40 years later, as we continue to weave nature journalism, action and conservation policy into the Indian environmental conservation movement, we invite you to be part of Sanctuary’s mission to save natural India.

The Sanctuary Nature Foundation holds on to the ethics and ideals drilled into us by the likes of Dr. Sálim Ali, R.E. Hawkins, Humayun Abdulali, M. Krishnan, “Kailash Sankhala, Dharmakumarsinhji and scores of others who helped Sanctuary magazine take its first tentative steps towards wildlife conservation horizons of the atil P kind never quite tried before in India. Baiju Baiju 6 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 ” 7 Advisory Board Members Paul Abraham President, Hinduja Foundation The Board Members of the Sanctuary Nature Foundation form the solid edifice upon which all Paul Abraham was Chief Operating Officer (COO) of IndusInd our communication, outreach, research advocacy, and project work thrive. They help connect the Bank and has over 35 years of banking experience. President of the Hinduja Foundation and Chair, Advisory Board of the Sanctuary organisation’s purpose to strategy. Nature Foundation, he also founded the museum initiative Sarmaya Arts Foundation. Lord Nicholas Stern Sanctuary is not only Economist, Academic, Author and Climate Expert inspiring us to appreciate the I.G. Patel Professor of Economics “ and Government, London world’s natural wonders, it is IN NATURE WE TRUST School of Economics; former President, British Academy; Chair, also demonstrating that nature Today, more than at any time, we have been shown up as a global collective. Nature Grantham Research Institute on and natural capital are central to has shown us that our consumptive lifestyle is unsustainable. Our belief that we can be Climate Change; and former irresponsible masters of the planet is beyond hollow. It is arrogant and for an apparently Chief Economist, World Bank. our well-being and our survival. intelligent species, an amazingly stupid misconception. It also shows us as selfish and at a very fundamental level, so preoccupied with ourselves that even our children and their future can be put at stake for our greed today. ” Dia Mirza Sanctuary believes that we cannot feel despondent; that if we ground ourselves in Working with Sanctuary Actor, Producer, UN the optimism that with education and awareness of the intrinsic connection of the well- Environment Goodwill has added value and meaning being of our planet to our very own, we can repair the damage we’ve made. We thus Ambassador and UN Secretary- “ firmly place ourselves at the forefront of advocacy with a sense of urgency. We believe General Advocate for SDGs to my life. It has improved my that nature represents soft power as also an incredibly effective and advanced economic A champion of nature, she awareness and helped me engage infrastructure that is well worth protecting. We believe the future ranking of countries will spearheads the movement to reignite depend on the stock of natural resources and their management. The only way forward and strengthen the connection with society and governments for between man and nature and is to ensure that the basic needs of our citizenry are safeguarded. There is no economic contribute to positive social change. environmental action. model that says monetary wealth ranks above water security, clean air and good health. Sanctuary will continue playing its part in highlighting these key perspectives and being the platform, which showcases solutions that address the key challenges that we ” face. I am glad I am part of Sanctuary and its important mission and purpose that seek My association with Bittu to address this crisis and reverse the damage through proactive and urgent action. We Cofounder, Emmay need the voice of this world to reach the powers that be and sentinels like Sanctuary Entertainment Sahgal and his relentless An award-winning film producer, “ can show the way through an impartial but committed advocacy. If we achieve even the director, and screenwriter, he pursuit of a better, safer, more smallest positive outcome in protecting our planet and reversing the damage that we worked on India’s first stereoscopic inflict upon it, then we have played our part. animation film ‘ Safari’ sustainable future for all has led (2006), about habitat loss in the to me being part of Sanctuary. Sanjay Gandhi National Park. It won a National Award. Our work really has just begun. ” Tara Lal Sanctuary continues to inspire Founder, Wild Blue Foundation Tara Lal came to conservation by showing the way to a just and science later in her career after “ Sanctuary believes that with awareness of the intrinsic years in art, architecture and sustainable future. Community design. She received her Masters “connection of the well being of our planet to our very own, of Science in conservation from collaborations such as COCOON Imperial College, London, where Conservancies have the potential we can repair the damage we’ve made. she is currently working on ” her Ph.D. to make real change in India.

8 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 ” 9 Advisory Board Members Advisory Board Members

Kartik N. Shukul Advocate, Bombay High Court From the Mud on Boots Project and Supreme Court of India to the Leave Me Alone campaign, A commercial and constitutional “ lawyer by profession, he also each initiative by Sanctuary has dedicates his time to conservation litigation. He is part of a State a nuanced approach to tackling Level Committee that deals with human-animal conflict and acts some of the most pressing as a Special Public Prosecutor. conservation issues of our time. ” Miel Sahgal Writer, Editor It’s been inspiring to witness Miel has held various positions Sanctuary’s evolution from a lone at Sanctuary over the past two “ decades, including Managing voice for the wilderness into an Editor of Sanctuary Asia. She was part of the founding team of empowered foundation. Sanctuary Kids for Tigers, and spearheaded Sanctuary events, nature walks remains steadfast in its mission to and workshops. safeguard our collective future. ” Norma Alvares I am always impressed with Advocate, Bombay High Court An activist and campaigner on the extent of preparatory work social and environmental issues “ of public concern, especially that goes into each project by in her home state of Goa. In 2002, she was awarded the Sanctuary and the professionalism Padma Shri for her work towards with which it is assessed and the protection of animals and the environment. evaluated from time to time.” Indru Advani Executive Member, Advisory Board, I have been inspired by Sanctuary Nature Foundation the passion exhibited by Bittu A Mechanical Engineer and “ Management Graduate, he and the Sanctuary team in has 46 years of Project, Marketing and Corporate experience. their commitment to wildlife He retired as President and CEO anda of BAPL, an automotive conservation. I’m honoured to play P components company. a small role in this journey. hottam P uru s hottam

10 Impact” Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 11 SANCTUARY 40 YEARS OF IMPACT 1981-2021 Bittu Sahgal, inspired Sanctuary Cub Sanctuary Films Sanctuary Features Sanctuary Photo Sanctuary published Kids for Tigers, an The first Sanctuary by the late Fateh Singh published in January/ produced two wildlife Syndication began Library was set The Ecologist Asia, an educational outreach Wildlife Service and Rathore, published the February 1984. It conservation serials to reach a wider up as a repository Indian edition of the U.K. programme for schools Photography awards first issue of Sanctuary aimed to inculcate for Doordarshan, audience through the of natural history journal The Ecologist, was launched, and the was held at NCPA, Asia in October. an appreciation for India’s national syndication of articles images. It now has a founded by Edward world’s largest ‘Save (more on India’s first wildlife nature among children television network. on nature, wildlife, fully computerised and Goldsmith. The Ecologist the Tiger’ scroll, as page 48). conservation magazine and encourage them travel, health and expansive database of Asia, whose co-editors certified by the Limca began as a quarterly to protect our wild conservation from wildlife photographs. were Bittu Sahgal, Book of Records, was and later became a heritage (more on renowned writers such Vandana Shiva, Claude created (more on bi-monthly in January/ page 16). as Ruskin Bond, Vijaya Alvares and Smitu page 24). February 1990 (more Venkat, Dilip D’Souza Kothari, was dedicated on page 16). Pritish Nandy, Ranjit to disseminating Lal, and more. environmental and developmental news relevant to the region. It ran until 2003.

1981 1984 Late 1980s 1989 1990 1993 1999 2000

First coffee-table The Sanctuary Community Owned The first Sanctuary The Mud on Boots A new website, with a Sanctuary partnered With the world having book The Kaziranga Nature Foundation Community Operated Debate was held in Project, a booster user-friendly layout, with WILD Foundation slowed down for Inheritance launched. was established as a Nature (COCOON) Royal Opera House, programme that digital magazine and and the Government of a year, Sanctuary Since then Sanctuary section 8 Foundation Conservancies, a Mumbai. Hosted supports ‘mud-on-the- more features to connect Rajasthan to organise has embraced a has published over (more on page 17). critical rewilding annually, these debates boots’ conservationists with our followers WILD11 in Jaipur, but new normal and 11 coffee-table books initiative, launched have brought stalwarts in India over a two- launched in October. this was cancelled transitioned to and nine guidebooks with the first project of the conservation year period, launched due to the COVID-19 an entirely digital on varying landscapes in Gothangaon village, world and students (more on page 28). pandemic (more on platform, with our (more on page 16). Maharashtra (more on together in healthy page 18). publications and page 32). discussion on wildlife events going online policy (more on since April 2020 page 46). (more on page 20).

200512 2015 2015 2017Impact Report 2020-2021 2017Impact Report 2020-2021 2019 2020 2021 & Beyond13 OUTREACH & COMMUNICATION man A man Salia ohammed M ohammed

14 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 15 PUBLICATIONS SANCTUARY NATURE FOUNDATION

Sanctuary makes an insightful Sanctuary Asia & Sanctuary secure this wild heritage. Toward this, we Building on the magazine’s wide expeditions, rallies, climate change At the heart of our purpose lies reading on issues relating to began producing large-format coffee table network of conservationists, naturalists, workshops, talks, debates and more. the conviction that the economies Cub magazines books and guidebooks on various Protected photographers, writers and editors, the Working at the tri-junction of biodiversity, “wildlife and nature conservation. The Sanctuary Nature Foundation’s Areas around the country. Sanctuary’s core Sanctuary Nature Foundation was born economics and climate change, the “of nations sit on a foundation of Have retained copies of the flagship magazine Sanctuary Asia has competence has always been its nature and in 2015. foundation offers thought leadership by stable ecosystems. Sanctuary magazine for the last 20 years in been in continuous publication since wildlife writing, editing and photography. A Section 8 Foundation under uniting disparate but credible groups envisions a world with abundant 1981 and remains India’s leading and bound volumes in my library. Our stringent production quality is an the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, the through conflict-resolution and bridge- biodiversity, a sustainable best-loved magazine in its genre. Upon industry standard and our campaigns foundation’s reach spans policy, advocacy, building initiatives. – Bijay Kumar Sharma, IPS receiving overwhelming support, an edition to protect wildlife bring on board both science, on-ground support for field Today, the Sanctuary Nature Foundation climate and an equitable future for younger readers, Sanctuary Cub, was government and non-government workers and environmental education. network includes organisations and for one and all. ” launched in 1984 and has been inspiring supporters of wildlife conservation. In 2005, The mission was, and continues to be, to individuals across the globe with whom we generations of young naturalists ever since. we produced our first coffee-table book produce well-researched communications work collaboratively on policy, advocacy Though the COVID-19 pandemic halted The Kaziranga Inheritance to stimulate pride built upon a bedrock of good science, to and action. With the express vision to the release of the print edition in April ” about the heritage of this rhino, elephant conceptualise and implement conservation shape a world with abundant biodiversity, a 2020, the magazine is still released as a and tiger habitat in , and to make projects while taking a holistic view on sustainable climate and an equitable future digital edition. a strong visual statement and spotlight human, wildlife and climate issues. for all, the Sanctuary Nature Foundation Sanctuary’s six issues in 2020 offered its defenders. Following the tremendous Apart from the Sanctuary Asia print and will carry forth the legacy of Sanctuary Asia readers insight into some of the most success of the book, Sanctuary followed this digital editions, book publishing and the to promote, support and consolidate the pressing conservation issues, from the with the Inheritance series, Wild series production of responsible wildlife tourism wildlife and nature conservation movement threats to the artisanal fishing livelihoods and guidebooks. guidebooks, we organise nature festivals, in India. of the Koli community, the uncertain future of the globally trafficked pangolin, various landscapes in the Himalaya destabilised Sanctuary Publications by climate change and the little-known link between animal health, human health Inheritance Series and the environment to the dangers Kaziranga 2005 of expanding a commercial port at a Revised edition 2007 biodiverse lagoon and more. Bharatpur 2006 Sanctuary Cub actively encourages its Corbett 2007 readership to contribute to the publication, Sundarbans 2007 creating a community of children who are Bandhavgarh 2008 passionate about learning and sharing Periyar 2008 their explorations of Earth. Children send in Tadoba 2015 articles, book reviews, art, updates on their Guide Books activities, and letters that are published with due credit. Corbett 2009 Read more about our magazines on Pench 2013 our website. Kaziranga 2014 Achanakmar 2017 Coffee table Books Barnawapara 2017 Sanctuary’s key goal has always been Bhoramdeo 2017 to galvanise public attention to the amazing Kanger 2017 natural fecundity our country has been Tamor-Pingla-Samarkot- 2017 blessed with and to highlight our need to Guru Ghasidas Nameri 2018

Other Titles Published by Sanctuary Asia: WILD Series Forever Stripes – A Guide to Saving Tigers and Studded by plateaux that offer the India Naturally. landscape its own unique character, the scenic 914 sq. km. Achanakmar forms The Inheritance Series: The Sanctuary Guide to part of the much larger Achanakmar- Kaziranga, Bharatpur, Sundarbans, Corbett, Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve, which Maharashtra 2012 Bandhavgarh, Periyar and Tadoba. in turn is a part of the large contiguous forest tract that forms the central Indian Wild Series: tiger heartland. This Chhattisgarh forest is Wild Maharashtra Achanakmar alive with sal, bamboo and mixed forest species that include bija, saja, haldu, teak, Revised edition 2015 Wild Chhattisgarh tinsa, dhawara, lendia and khamar, plus an incredible 600 species of medicinal plants Guidebooks: that have been documented to date. Home Kaziranga, Pench, Corbett, Bhoramdeo, to a diversity of floral and faunal species, Barnawapara, Kanger Valley and visitors could spend days exploring this Chhattisgarh 2017 Tamor-Pingla – Semarsot – Badalkhol sanctuary to discover its biodiverse riches. This guidebook will help all those – Guru Ghasidas. interested in exploring the exquisite Indian state of Chhattisgarh, including natural wonderlands such as Achanakmar. It Madhya Pradesh 2018 Forthcoming Titles: The Inheritance Series: provides a glimpse into this little discovered sanctuary, its history, geography and the Ranthambhore wild denizens residing within. Readers will and Kanha. also learn of key conservation issues that will help them to appreciate this biodiverse Protected Area better. The insider tips and For more information, please visit: checklists will enhance the experience Other Coffee Table Books and Publications www.sanctuaryasia.com of visitors by introducing them to some www.facebook.com/sanctuaryasiapage of the little lifeforms that this surprisingly www.twitter.com/SanctuaryAsia informative guidebook expertly summarises. Easy to pack and carry, this booklet will www.instagram.com/sanctuaryasia greatly enhance the experience of travelling through this gem of a forest in Chhattisgarh. Forever Stripes 2007 To obtain copies, ACHANAKMAR TIGER RESERVE/ACHANAKMAR-AMARKANTAK BIOSPHERE RESERVE Email: [email protected] Note: The information contained in this Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Field Director, guidebook was correct at the time of going Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, Bilaspur – 495006. to press in October 2017. Visitors are Tel.: +91 77522 60070 India Naturally 2008 advised to double-check information just Email: [email protected] prior to making a trip so that they are aware ACHANAKMAR TIGER RESERVE of changes in rules and access. Deputy Director, Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, Lormi, Mungeli – 495334. Front cover: Sankhala’s India 2008 Tel.: +91 77522 60070 Vijay Baghel (Gaur) Email: [email protected] FLORA AND FAUNA Back cover: ACHANAKMAR-AMARKANTAK BIOSPHERE RESERVE O. N. Singh (Golden orb web spider) Director, Achanakmar Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve, Lest We Forget Koni, Bilaspur – 495009. BIRDING Cell No.: +91 94255 93430 Email: [email protected] HISTORY ACCOMMODATION PLAN B 2008

MAP JAYDEEP SINGH YADAV CONSERVATION Mobilising to Save Civilsation

Hanuman langur THE WILDLIFE GUIDE THAT TAKES YOU (English & Hindi) VISHAL TREHAN TO ROADS LESS TRAVELLED.

16 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 17 11th World Wilderness Congress Sanctuary and the WILD 2020

Foundation encourage their ard s Aw supporters to engage with the WILD11 was to unify the For over four decades, Sanctuary would have included youth, women, ideas and outcomes to come dual emergencies of climate has been working purposefully along with traditional communities, business heads, out of the process leading up to organisations such as the WILD Foundation breakdown and mass extinction as well as policy makers and leading WILD11, especially the Survival y P hotograph “ – focused on wilderness, wildlife and politicians had to be indefinitely postponed with a single solution: protecting people – and Forest Departments, due to COVID-19. Revolution (see box) and stay Wildlife Wildlife wild nature. It was planned to conservation leaders and grassroots However, our joint mission remains tuned for news about next y activists, pooling our respective strengths, challenge world leaders with the stronger than ever – to protect the steps, new plans, and upcoming to defend and safeguard our planet. In essential natural infrastructures that question: How much nature do 2020, the WILD Foundation partnered gatherings to build dynamic we need to survive? with Sanctuary to convene the 11th World produce our healthy water, air and soil. and powerful communities and Wilderness Congress (WILD11) between Only by coming together as a movement… coalitions for the protection of San c tur : Choi c e – Vance G. Martin, President, March 19 and 26 at Jaipur, Rajasthan, not a single organisation… can we hope

our wild and healthy Earth. s E ditor WILD Foundation ” India. It was expected to attract 1,500 to find a path out of the maze of self- to 2,000 delegates from India and inflicted damage of climate chaos and overseas. This global gathering which species extinction. athore – – R athore hpal s hpal Ya TIO N courtesy: Wild F OU N D A Wild courtesy:

History of the World Wilderness Congress The World Wilderness Congress (WWC) was born in Africa, the result of the work of two men… conservationist Ian Player and traditional Zulu chief, Magqubu Ntombela. They created the first multi-racial environmental experience programme in South Africa, which ultimately led to the 1st World Wilderness Congress in Johannesburg in 1977. Vance G. Martin, President, WILD Foundation, says, the principles of the WWC are simple and dedicated to: l collaboration across cultures, races, nations and professions l continual search for new, necessary, practical, and positive solutions that protect wild nature and meet the needs of people The Survival Revolution l the importance of culture – language, art, community and communications If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. As Earth rapidly approaches global tipping points beyond which we – combined with the very best policy, science and business to create the most are without sufficient nature to solve the climate and extinction emergency, we still have time to set aside HALF the planet’s land and effective solutions. seas and avert ecological collapse. The Survival Revolution is a common-sense plan to protect wilderness on a global scale. Setting It is the longest running, international, public conservation congress and since the aside 50 per cent of Earth for nature is the most efficient way to fight climate change. Join the #SurvivalRevolution. Be an ambassador very beginning has been working to protect species, wildernesses, and the well being ABOVE RIGHT The World Wilderness Congress and help make history in 2020 for humanity and the wild planet upon which we depend. The Wild Foundation is recruiting ambassadors is the longest-running environmental forum to build of people and communities, across our planet. This collective is organised and run and influencers for the Survival Revolution and you can sign up here. Details of how you can help influence the coming United Nations awareness and support for wild habitats and strengthen by civil society and is focussed on providing solutions and generating practical policy Convention on Biological Diversity will also be available soon. conservation policy. The last congress, WILD10, solutions to the current environmental issues. convened in Salamanca, Spain, in October 2013.

18 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 19 Seek Sanctuary and Health’, Jairam Ramesh on ‘The EMBRACING A NEW NORMAL For Earth Day 2020 (April 22, 2020), Ecological Rise and Fall of India’ – Sanctuary partnered with BookMyShow and more. to release an online limited series ‘Seek A few months later, Sanctuary released In April 2021, the world was forced Heartbreaking images of wild Social Media Sanctuary - Reboot the Planet’ that Season 2 of Seek Sanctuary, that brought Indeed “the time for platitudes into lockdown mode. Our Mumbai office species knee-deep in a mess of The pandemic also saw Sanctuary screened on Facebook and YouTube to a legendary and veteran conservationists and conferences has long was closed down, our publishing offices our making. Glad to have been strengthening its digital presence. The team global audience. Several stalwarts of the such as Dr. M.K. Ranjitsinh, Y. Jhala and gone”. Such well-made points to “ shut. And our team was relegated to the worked to better understand the kind of environmental journalist and author Prerna “ conservation world were invited to speak safety of their homes. Despite a key event think about consumption, part of an effort to bring this messaging that would move people and on a variety of topics – Vandana Shiva on Singh Bindra (below), together to share the (see page 18) organised by Sanctuary issue to light. interest them online. ‘The Link between Agriculture, Ecology challenges of their work. nature and the way forward. being cancelled and the challenges of While there is so much more to do, Thanks, Sanctuary. – Vaishnav Tirth, Mumbai working remotely from across different Sanctuary’s networks on Instagram, Twitter, states, Sanctuary continued to publish the Facebook, WhatsApp and email reach out ” magazine digitally every month on the dot, to over half a million citizens across the – Geeta Rao, Former Beauty and took several steps further to engage world. A look at our social media numbers Director, Vogue India” with our audiences. From online webinars (as of April 12, 2021): to launching a brand new newsletter, here’s a look at all the ways Sanctuary embraced @sanctuaryasiapage the power of digital communication. @sanctuaryasiagroup 264K followers Newsletter View this email in your browser Sanctuary launched its monthly @SanctuaryAsia newsletter in September 2020, reaching 29.4K followers just under 10,000 recipients, with updates on our projects, publications, campaigns, @sanctuaryasia events and more. A bi-monthly newsletter 113K followers for children was also launched in the same month, reaching our country-wide network Sanctuary Nature Foundation of Kids for Tigers students and subscribers. 3.53K subscribers Biodiversity FROM Lockdown Diaries YOUR Window With wildernesses and national parks closed during lockdown, Sanctuary spoke One positive effect of the lockdown #InOurFilth with conservationists from different areas of that couldn’t be overlooked by citizens Starting October 2020, Sanctuary curated an online series #InOurFilth to inspire work (researchers, writers, photographers was the quiet solitude it provided our wild followers to lobby for better waste management systems in their villages/cities/towns. and filmmakers) about how the lockdown denizens that curiously ventured closer to Register to attend the event! Hard-hitting images of wildlife forced to navigate human trash in their wild habitats had impacted their work and how they are garnered the attention of several thousand people across the world. The series was our residences. Sanctuary asked supporters advocating for wildlife and the environment covered in Scroll.in, Outlook India, The Wire, The Week amongst other publications. and readers to send us the best images of while staying indoors. The Lockdown Diaries biodiversity they could document from their was born, with wildlife filmmaker and founder The image seen below was part of the series. homes. Over 300 people sent in 2,000+ of Pangea Films Eshika Fyzee featured on the Single-use Sins images. The most striking of these were first episode. Later, a children’s edition was In Valparai, , handpicked for Sanctuary Asia June 2020. also inaugurated (see page 27). HAN G. M O HAN a lion-tailed macaque rips into a discarded single-use COMMENTARY packet filled with curry. This Sh ukl a

incredible and distinctive y species is endemic to small San j a pockets of India’s . They are rainforest dwellers whose primary diet is, or should be, fruit! But with forests being degraded and fragmented, roads

COVER STORY and townships cutting through their habitat, and garbage piling up, they’re being forced to change their habits. Researchers have observed that these macaques are spending more time on the ground and are having more negative interactions with humans – including raiding homes and foraging for human foods. Single-use plastics are cheap and convenient, but they’re terrible for our planet and our fellow Earth inhabitants. Poor LEFT A juvenile Bengal monitor lizard photographed Sanctuary launched a monthly newsletter in September waste management coupled with ignorant tourists who feed the lion-tailed macaques, at a fifth-floor apartment in Badlapur, Maharashtra. 2020 reaching out to an audience of about 10,000 make for sorry sights such as this. This image was one of the entries to the ‘Biodiversity recipients, andPHOTOF EAcounting.TURE From Your Window’ contest.

20 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 21

IN THE FIELD

SPECIES FOCUS

CONSERVATION ACTION

PEOPLE

FIELD REPORT

SPECIES FOCUS

IN THE FIELD

PHOTOFEATURE

PROJECT UPDATE

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A note to our subscribers: Due to the constraints of COVID-19 and the lockdown, we have been unable to print our magazine since April 2020. As we continue to navigate life through the outbreak, we wish to keep Sanctuary's supporters and readers connected to recent news and articles. Therefore, all existing subscribers will receive a free digital subscription for a year. We request you to allow your subscription payment to stay with us as a donation towards our various conservation efforts. However, if you would like a refund, please write to [email protected]. We could also extend your subscription for the period that our print addition is not possible to send you. PROJECTS Shivaram Su b ramaniam Shivaram

22 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 23 tio n Project: KIDS FOR TIGERS 1999-Present f ou n d a ture ture

na In 2000, Sanctuary launched Kids side of things; that nature is resilient and self- I have worked with Kids for for Tigers, an environmental education repairing, that the tiger will spring back to safe Tigers for 21 years, and have programme that snowballed into one of numbers if we offer it seclusion and protection. represented the National Tiger ry s an ctu a ry India’s largest mass movements to save the We highlight the connection between “ tiger, inspiring millions of children in schools biodiversity, forests and water, and explain how Conservation Camp, along with across India. The core purpose of Kids for forests help us fight climate change. All this our Student Ambassador three Tigers is to introduce children to nature in a is through carefully created fun activities and times – 2011, 2013, and 2017. gentle and reassuring manner. lessons. We are determined not only to leave Central to our mission has been the need a better planet for our children, but also better I was awarded the Sanctuary to communicate the rationale for conservation children for our planet! Green Teacher Award in the to children, using the tiger as a metaphor for To read more about the programme and year 2017, which encouraged all of nature. Despite all the problems that grip for details on how to become a part of it, head wild India, we communicate to kids the brighter to our website. me to do more for my students.

. – K.S. Smitha, M.P. Birla ” Foundation Higher Secondary

V ERI F IED School, N OR TED A UT H E N TIC N EIT H ER . B ORDERS . SC A LE

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tio n MAP N OT MAP f ou n d a ture ture na ry s an ctu a ry

21 38 800 1 million+ years since cities schools children and inception across India reached teachers impacted 24 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 25 Kids for Tigers Activities tio n Highlights from 2020 and 2021

There are no dull moments with f ou n d a Kids for Tigers! Kids made a lot of ture ture Due to the pandemic, the regular Global Tiger Day: Climate change is a multilateral positive noise through tree planting na sequence of the Kids for Tigers programme drives, rallies, fests and more. Our was disrupted. However, our team adapted Poster-making Competition problem, and it is vital that we coordinators help our Kids for to the new virtual normal and connected with 500+ students from classes II to VIII “strike a chord with the younger Tigers students and point teachers s an ctu a ry students and teachers in innovative ways. participated enthusiastically, creating generation, now more than imaginative posters to raise awareness about from across India’s cities organise In addition to these, our coordinators have ever. The Kids for Tigers team exciting activities that help discover taken children on nature trails wherever it is the tiger. Art by the finalists was published in secrets about our exceptional natural safe to do so. Sanctuary Cub September 2020. exemplifies this by adding a treasures, including the one that unique perspective and expertise symbolises it all, our very own tiger! Lockdown Diaries: Know Your Birds with to the elephantine crises our Here’s what happens when a school joins the An Ongoing Series Saurabh Sawant planet is experiencing. Kids for Tigers network. Kids for Tigers asked children to keep us As children began spending much of Stage 1: Registration of schools and updated on their activities during their time their time indoors during the COVID-19 introduction to the programme. indoors. Children sent us photos of new pandemic, Sanctuary collaborated with – Preeti Takle, Mumbai hobbies, biodiversity spotted in their balconies Saurabh Sawant to put together a video Coordinator, Kids for Tigers” Stage 2: Teachers’ Training Workshop for educators. and backyards, new skills they’ve picked up lecture featuring the most common birds Stage 3: Audio-Visual shows linking and personal projects they’re proud of! that can be spotted from their windows. tigers with climate change. “I have had a lot of fun with local wildlife during lockdown. In the early days, I looked Understanding Bats with Stage 4: Nature walks – especially to tio n gauge students with an affinity and after a baby bulbul that had been abandoned. He grabbed my finger and refused to let go Rohit Chakravarty commitment to the f ou n d a COVID-19 landed a blow on millions of so I decided to name him Grip. I fed him using environmental imperative. people in many ways, affecting public health, ture ture a syringe. After a week, I noticed an adult Stage 5: Petition drives, tiger parades na economy, education and other sectors. bulbul looking at him from outside my window. and rallies, creative art competitions, Another victim that faced the brunt of the I opened it and set him free! I also took care impact was the bat. Misguided media reports fests, Wildlife Week events, and of two baby garden lizards for two and a

ry s an ctu a ry caused much of the public to consider bats information-rich notice boards and half weeks.” the culprit, rather than our own broken school projects. – Zreh Adjania, 12, Mumbai Stage 6: National Camp. relationship with nature. Chiropterologist and Stage 7: Conclusion, feedback, gifts/ Earth Day: Virtual Lessons Kids for Tigers alumnus Rohit Chakravarty broke myths and enlightened our children certificates to teachers and/or For over 50 consecutive years, Earth about the ecosystem services offered by bats. principals, trophies to schools and a Day has been celebrated to celebrate our road map for the next year. love for Earth and remind humanity of the pressing need to repair our relationship with Quiz Time Kids for Tigers created fun, interesting the planet. Kids for Tigers organised several quizzes on several topics, including enlightening online sessions for Earth Day International Biodiversity Day, Earth Day, 2020, including the following by: mangroves, the wild representatives of Indian l jyoti Sharma (Sanctuary Young states (official state animals and birds), World Naturalist Award 2017) on the Turtle Day, World Migratory Bird Day, Global Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve Tiger Day, World Rainforest Day, World l nikit Surve on human-leopard conflict

tio n Environment Day and types of Indian trees. in Mumbai l Preeti Takle on urban farming for f ou n d a the amateur Sanctuary Educationists

ture ture l rituraj Phukan on climate change and the Environmental

na water crisis l Vaishali Rawat on finding biodiversity in Leadership Webinar Kids for Tigers’ annual workshop for our own backyards teachers went virtual on October 17, 2020, ry s an ctu a ry l neha Sinha on conservation for beginners in association with The Shri Ram School. TOP Kids for Tigers coordinator Govardhan Meena and green careers leading students from the Government Middle School, Over 500 teachers attended the webinar. Kutalpura, Sawai Madhopur district, Rajasthan, on Part of the discussion focussed on the use a safari. World Environment Day: of creative methods to sensitise the students Contemplations and parents to conservation issues that MIDDLE In 2001, then Prime Minister Atal Behari A series of six short videos was plague India. Dr. Parvish Pandya, Bittu Vajpayee wrote a letter of congratulations to the Kids for compiled to address the connection Sahgal, Madhu Bhatnagar, Preeti Takle and Tigers children, stating, “The tiger is an indicator of between humans and biodiversity, featuring Amandeep Kaur led this workshop. the environmental health of India.” Debadityo Sinha, Nehara Pandey, Preeti BOTTOM Kids dressed up as tigers perform a street Takle, K.S. Smitha and Dr. Parvish Pandya. Nature Trails theatre piece at a Tiger Fest in Mumbai. Street theatre An attractive poster on the ‘ABCs of While it was not possible to conduct Twelve-year-old Zreh Adjania, Mumbai with two as a form of communication is deeply rooted in sustainable living’ was also shared with nature trails in all our cities, some of our juvenile garden lizards in his home. This was one of the Indian tradition. our audience. coordinators guided small trails. entries for the ‘Lockdown Diaries: Children’s edition.’

26 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 27 Project: MUD ON BOOTS (2017-Present) O riginal s

y a w ara F The Mud on Boots Project is Sanctuary’s Since its inception in 2017, the “This is amazing work, and I am unique booster programme designed to Mud on Boots project has supported over very proud of your efforts recognise and empower grassroots level two dozen grassroots conservationists wildlife conservationists in India. from 16 different states in India. The “to keep this going, to continue to The project focuses on those individuals project has also extended support to support grassroot workers who are community leaders but whose small grassroots organisations and across a diversity of habitats contributions are overlooked because citizens groups that are campaigning for of a lack of affiliations, educational environmental protection. even in these difficult times. qualifications, mainstream opportunities Owing to the pandemic, 2020 has – Prerna Singh Bindra, and language barriers. Over a two-year been an exceedingly difficult year. Despite award-winning environmental period, such individuals receive a monetary this, the Mud on Boots Project has ” grant and strategic support from the continued to grow. journalist and author Sanctuary Nature Foundation team. Such To read about the work of all our support can include communications, field present and alumni Project Leaders, go to trips, expert input, publicity and more! our website.

Between August and November 2020, the Sanctuary team pored over nominations for the Mud on Boots Project, and announced six new Project Leaders for 2021-2022 in the December 2020 issue of Sanctuary Asia!

Where are our Phuntsog Dolma

Vishal Ahuja Project Leaders?

Shiv Kumar

Radheshyam Pemani Bishnoi Takam Nabam Anoko Mega Sunil Harsana Dechin P. Sevaram Parihar Rajeev Chauhan Pemba R. Manoj Gogoi Tsuseki Y. , Uras Kha Amir Chhetri Limthure Y. & Alemba Y. Mud on Boots won the Gold Award for Best Wildlife Project 2020 Zakhuma Don

Joydeb Pradhan . Sajal Madhu On January 17, 2020, Sanctuary The Flying Squad, Seoni Nature Foundation’s Mud on Boots V ERI F IED Project won the Gold Award for Best Wildlife Project at the Outlook N OR Responsible Tourism Awards held TED in . The jury included conservationists Belinda Wright, A UT H E N TIC Prerna Singh Bindra and Ranjit Lal. Malhar Indulkar Cara Tejpal, Director of the Mud on Boots Project, accepted the award Present Project Leaders N EIT H ER Ashwin Gurusrikar on behalf of the Project Leaders. At Bhuvaneshwara H.C. Project Leaders 2021

the Sanctuary Nature Foundation, B ORDERS . Marina Juliet Alumni Project Leaders we recognise that conservation is SC A LE driven by communities, and only S. Chandrasekaran TO 4 16 21 by recognising and empowering community champions can we hope years since states project leaders across India* to protect the biodiversity that supports N OT MAP us all. * And an additional 2 small grantees inception of India 5 5 28 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 29 D a s “I appreciate Sanctuary Nature Foundation’s efforts to enable Highlights from 2020 Challenges l during the lockdown, Project The Mud on Boots Project runs on Collaborations are essential anka anka grassroots conservation initiatives. The work of each Mud Coordinator Maitreyee Mujumdar public donations. It has been exceptionally to the Mud on Boots Project. P ri y on Boots Project Leader is inspiring. We will continue to organised a series of webinars for hard to raise funds this year because of the “The team is keen to forge new guide and mentor Amir Chhetri’s work as he is a valuable Project Leaders. The lectures covered ongoing pandemic. The resulting lockdown collaborations and partnerships member of our core research and conservation team at The diverse topics related to conservation, also put a halt to fieldwork for several and guest speakers included Praveen months of the year. with individuals and Amir Chhetri Coexistence Project.” Bhargav, Umesh Srinivasan, Neha organisations who have the same – Aritra Kshettry, Team Leader, The Coexistence Project Sinha, Parvish Pandya and Samyukta Looking Ahead vision as Sanctuary. Chemudupati amongst many others. The Sanctuary team is looking forward l sanctuary collaborated with to working with the new batch of Project conservation enterprise Tech for Wildlife Leaders and their mentors on community to develop maps for Project Leader conservation and rewilding projects in five ” Malhar Indulkar’s work site different states of India. in Maharashtra. A crowdfunding campaign has been l In Himachal Pradesh, Project Leader planned for April 2021 to cover the Shiv Kumar documented incredible deficit in fundraising for the new batch. wildlife sightings, including some The pending disbursal of funds to two firsts! The Himalayan goral and grassroots organisations working for Yellowhammer bird were reported by wildlife rescue and rehabilitation will be him from Lahaul for the first time. completed in 2021. l alumni Project Leader Anoko Mega A virtual Mud on Boots leaders, from Arunachal Pradesh made a strong partners and alumni meet has been slated representation to India’s Forest Advisory for June 2021. This will be an opportunity Committee against the proposed for our grassroots conservationists to Etalin Hydro Project in Dibang Valley. learn about one another’s works, interact The Sanctuary team has also worked extensively on this issue under the with senior wildlife professionals, and #SaveDibangValley campaign. (See nurture a feeling of team work. page 40). Collaborations are essential to the l In Karnataka, Project Leader Mud on Boots Project. The team is Bhuvaneshwara H.C. has identified a keen to forge new collaborations degraded forest patch for restoration and partnerships with individuals and efforts. He has nurtured a nursery of organisations who have the same vision 675 native saplings for this. as Sanctuary. K umar “The exposure and guidance Shiv Kumar has received as a l Project Leader Sunil Harsana also We at the Sanctuary Nature Foundation

Shiv Shiv Mud on Boots Project Leader have visibly benefited him. He undertook forest restoration work in have huge respect for those whose boots has been instrumental in mobilising a group of like-minded Haryana. Along with volunteers and are muddy from the hard work and toil individuals from the area who are now active in sharing, community members, Sunil undertook the that wildlife conservation in the field plantation of 700 indigenous saplings in demands. The Mud on Boots Project is our discussing and acting on conservation issues. I think this degraded parts of Mangar Bani. ongoing salute to such individuals. Shiv Kumar programme deserves a lot of credit for this change in him.” – Ajay Bijoor, Assistant Programme Head for Conservation at High Altitude Programme, NCF-India : A h uj a : Vis ha l COURTESY

Vishal Ahuja has been facilitating the rewilding of abandoned agricultural terraces in Chamba valley to bring back native flora and fruiting trees.

Impact Report 2020-2021 31 Project: COCOON Conservancies

am b ekar (2015-Present) T ikhil N ikhil The central tenet of the Sanctuary that it was possible to rewild abandoned The primary beneficiaries Nature Foundation’s Community Owned and failed farms located right next to will be those living on the edges Community Operated Nature (COCOON) sanctuaries and national parks. Conservancies is that it is designed as a Sanctuary’s COCOON Conservancies “of, or close to India’s finest, social upliftment programme that creates involve working with several partners that most biodiverse wildernesses sustainable, dignified livelihoods, with share our rewilding vision as a key strategy through livelihoods whose enhanced biodiversity being a measurable, to moderate the impacts of climate change. collateral benefits will be collateral benefit. Acutely aware that These include the WILD Foundation, Wildlife solutions to alleviate farmer stress and Conservation Trust and Forest Departments biodiversity enhancement. improve the relationship between people across different states. and parks was floundering, the Sanctuary For more information about COCOON Nature Foundation decided to demonstrate Conservancies, go to our website. ” tio n f ou n d a ture ture na ry s an ctu a ry

Mission To collaborate with communities living adjacent to wildernesses in India to create sustainable, dignified livelihoods, with enhanced biodiversity being a collateral benefit. tio n

f ou n d a Vision To demonstrate to planners, ture ture politicians, and village youth that the na quality of life of the people of the Indian subcontinent has everything

ry s an ctu a ry to do with restoring health to the biodiversity of its ecosystems without which no human aspirations have any hope of success. Values COCOON Conservancies focus on solutions that are both ecologically and economically practical. tio n

f ou n d a TOP In Gothangaon, Maharashtra, where the pilot COCOON Conservancy was initiated, training ture ture

na programmes have been held for women in making lac bangles to provide them an income.

MIDDLE Regular training programmes are also ry s an ctu a ry organised for local youth to help build alternative livelihoods in tourism as nature guides and 6 105 3 hospitality professionals. BOTTOM Supporters of the first COCOON years since acres of farmland more projects Conservancy site contributed to the quality of life for rural communities, helping create a more healthy inception rewilded on the anvil relationship with the rich forests they live next to. 32 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 33 Scope of the Project: 6. sharing, communication and Looking Ahead l a 29-acre coffee estate on the outskirts 1. upliftment of marginal and/or rural outreach with like-minded NGOs and Sanctuary has shortlisted some of Nagarahole (Karnataka) communities socio-economically. tourism professionals/lodge owners potential sites, while more are being l Mangalajodi COCOON Conservancy – 2. empowerment of marginal and/or rural across India. considered. However, progress depends Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary (Odisha) communities with ecological information, 7. reduction of negative human-animal on fundraising, the consultation process l Kanda COCOON Conservancy Pilot Project: and their rights, and providing a interactions, creating exemplars of and the acquiescence of the communities. – Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve sustainable, beneficial alternative to (Uttarakhand) – Paramjit Singh Gothangaon, localised climate mitigation through Currently, the following potential sites selling their lands for short-term gain. biodiversity and rewilding. and respective Project Directors have l ranthambhore COCOON Conservancy Maharashtra 3. generation of jobs and livelihoods for 8. setting up of community-owned been identified: – Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve The pilot project at Gothangaon marginal farmers, landholders and Sanctuary Conservation Education l jamtara COCOON Conservancy – (Rajasthan) – Govardhan Meena. village, next to the tiger forests landless people living close to some of and Nature Interpretation Centres for Pench Tiger Reserve (M.P.) – The short and long-term impacts of India’s best biodiversity vaults. monitoring, reporting and research. Amit Sankhala COCOON Conservancies will be assessed by of the Umred Pauni-Karhandla 4. demonstration of the advantages 9. Creation of self-sustainable projects in l toria COCOON Conservancy – Panna the response to the various initiatives involving Wildlife Sanctuary, has turned of rewilding as a long-term Tiger Reserve (M.P.) – Raghu Chundawat the local community, biodiversity monitoring, sustainable strategy. approximately five years. out to be a success. Here, 37 l dara COCOON Conservancy – socio-economic progress, instances of 5. securing health and financial security 10. Reduction of conflict, to enable greater families have stopped farming Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary (Kashmir) human-animal conflict, water and soil quality, and providing skill-training for collaboration with the – Nadeem Qadri greater awareness, and improved cultural and and allowed the forest to community youth. Forest Department. regenerate on their own land l Pakhiralay COCOON Conservancy – psychological health of the community as well Sundarbans Tiger Reserve (West Bengal) as overall feedback. holdings. For five years, the farmers were compensated equal to what they would have COCOON is ready to roll out COCOON Conservancies at Pench and Panna ot to sc a le to n ot in Madhya Pradesh. We have received the initial funding for these projects, but are earned had they farmed. A way map looking for support to engage communities to scale up and implement the next was worked out to gift families phase of our project. homestays with titles in their Write to Dr. Parvish Pandya at [email protected] for more details. names, which they in turn entrusted to the management care of professional homestay operators for 30 years. Everyone came out winning. The tigers got the space they needed. Sanctuary has now exited from Gothangaon and the project is being implemented independently by the community, led by Honorary Wildlife Warden Roheet Karoo. tio n f ou n d a ture ture na ry s an ctu a ry

FACING PAGE When the Gothangaon dam was built around six years ago, the old Gothangaon village was submerged under the waters of the Gadvi river, displacing most of the community.

LEFT Sanctuary COCOON Conservancies, as marked on the map, have been proposed near wilderness habitats across India, currently in varied stages of negotiation.

34 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 35 CAMPAIGNS al w A gra eet M eet

36 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 37 Giant Refugees degraded to support them. So they often ADVOCACY OVER THE YEARS wander through rural lands and degraded February 2017 forests in search of food, and are regularly In Athgarh, on the outskirts of harassed and abused. In 2017, Sanctuary The Sanctuary Nature Foundation runs advocated for action on several pressing Bhubaneswar city, Odisha, a herd of wild asked the Chief Minister of the state to nationwide advocacy campaigns to issues. Here are a few key campaigns implement short-term and long-term solutions elephants was caught in a simmering conflict raise public awareness about various that we wanted to highlight. However, as for the protection of the animals. Publications environmental issues that need greater legendary conservation scientist George with humans. The nearby Chandaka- such as First Post, Nature in Focus and The attention. In the past, Sanctuary has Schaller says: Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary, the natal home Wire also wrote about the Athgarh elephants of their matriarch Laxmi, is too small and and the Giant Refugees campaign. There are never victories in conservation. If you want to save a species or a habitat, it’s a fight forevermore. PANDA “ You can never turn your back. C HANDRA Leave Me Alone awareness on the neglect, abuse and A illegal trade of tigers” at the hands of one ADIT Y July 2013 such attraction, Thailand’s ‘Tiger Temple’. Sanctuary launched a petition on Global Allegations of the abuse across media Tiger Day to underscore the reality that worldwide eventually prompted a raid by India’s wild tigers need to be ‘left alone’ government officials, who confiscated all with no human interference for wild habitats of the monastery’s 147 tigers and also and biodiversity to flourish. Emphasising discovered the frozen bodies of tiger cubs, that to secure the future of our people, we along with tiger pelts and other illegal wildlife need to secure that of our tigers, a petition products. The rescued tigers (over half have was launched on Change.org to call for died since) now live in government wildlife the protection of our tigers’ forests and centres, while the temple has closed. rewilding of our degraded lands. Over In December that year, Thailand granted 45,000 people signed, and a host of the Tiger Temple, now under the name Save the Great Indian Bustard campaign to save the GIB. Prominent wildlife celebrated Indians spoke in support of the Golden Tiger Thailand to distance itself supporters and thousands of concerned campaign, including Dia Mirza, Purab Kohli, from the previous scandal, a permit for a DECEMBER 2018 citizens endorsed the campaign. A petition , Sudhir Pandey, Kitu Gidwani, ‘tiger zoo’. It allowed visitors to interact The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is critically directed at the Ministry of Power was Naseeruddin Shah and the late Om Puri. with tigers, much like the Tiger Temple did. endangered. Only a hundred or so of the launched. Though the campaign garnered Read: Cara Tejpal, Director of the Conservationists feared that such attractions birds are left in India’s vulnerable grassland over 11,000 signatures and prompted Mud on Boots Project at Sanctuary, Tiger Temple Takedown ‘leaked’ tigers into the endangered wildlife habitats in Gujarat and Rajasthan. These movement from bustard range states and the interviews GIB experts Dr. Sumit Dookia February AND DECEMBER 2016 trade. Sanctuary, with the support of various heavy, low-flying birds suffer high mortality centre, a direct response from the Ministry of and Dr. Mamta Rawat on efforts to save Over the years, Sanctuary has organisations such as the Wildlife Protection from the overhead power lines that criss-cross Power was not received. the species. About 2,500 tigers are held in captivity However, there is a glimmer of hope. On been prompt in supporting those who Society of India, TOFTigers, Conservation their habitat. Moreover, their habitats, often speak out against the misinformed, within 30 sanctioned tiger breeding facilities India and Satpuda Foundation, revived the April 19, 2021, after three years of advocacy, wrongly termed as wastelands, are being relentless destruction of our wild across Thailand; many of them present campaign to ask that the license be revoked, the Supreme Court directed the formation of wiped out. On December 7, 2018, Sanctuary habitats and the displacement of themselves as tiger tourism attractions. In but the government has stayed mum as a committee to assess the feasibility of laying partnered with Conservation India and The indigenous people from their forest 2016, Sanctuary ran a campaign to build construction continued. underground power lines to help save the homes. Each issue of Sanctuary Corbett Foundation to launch a national Great Indian Bustard from extinction. focuses on a vital campaign to inform and empower our readers. GU Y NUP JO S HI

We also publish insights, toolkits and Y open letters to enable environmental advocacy led by the extended S HARON DHANANJA conservation community, including but not limited to: Save Mollem: Toolkit for the campaign A Country of Campaigns: By Abinaya Kalyanasundaram New Draft of EIA will Endanger India’s Wildernesses: By Sejal Mehta Beyond the Dihing Patkai National Park: By Rituraj Phukan Oil Well Blowout in Baghjan: By Rituraj Phukan LEFT Today, less than a hundred Great Indian India, Dammed: By Neeraj Vagholikar, Bustards can be found in the wild. While a successful captive breeding programme is underway, the species is Parineeta Dandekar and still at risk of extinction unless other critical issues, such Himanshu Thakkar as overhead power lines, their disappearing grassland habitats and the threat of feral dogs, are addressed.

38 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 39 A K T A APFD T / Save Dibang Valley BHAN U PANTHERA / from ecologists and scientists on the

AN April 2020 W During the early days of the COVID-19 hazards of the project for both people and wildlife, and shared open letters from NIJHA

pandemic, India’s Forest Advisory Committee met virtually to deliberate the conservation community that cited the S AHIL granting forest clearance to the proposed global importance of the rich valley. A Etalin Hydroelectric Project. The project detailed toolkit prepared by Sanctuary and threatens to devastate 2,80,000 trees in updated regularly was shared widely. As of Dibang valley, Arunachal Pradesh. Dibang April 2021, a decision is yet to be made is a 9,000 sq. km. district with forests that over the proposal. support a rich diversity of old growth trees, Several artists from across the country endangered and endemic fauna. These came together to raise awareness on forests have been protected and conserved the issue. by the indigenous Idu Mishmi. Anoko Mega is a member of the Sanctuary asked the general public Idu Mishmi community who have lived to educate themselves about the dangers peacefully and sustainably in the Dibang of the project and write letters to warn forests. He is an alumnus of the Mud on authorities. The team compiled warnings Boots Project. Says Mega:

Despite mass protests from our community, India’s GH OS H P R A J NA biggest dam – the Dibang Multipurpose Project – “ has already been approved on the Dibang river. Our sentiments on this matter were disrespected and the project was approved under the false guise of ‘development’ and ‘economic boom’ and our resistance was crushed. It is unethical for the government to force another mega dam on our rivers. Between both dams it is expected that six lakh trees will be cut down. With the APFD

/ destruction of the Dibang valley, where will my community turn and what will be left for our future generations? PANTHERA / AN W NIJHA ” S AHIL il Nij hawan Sah il . . DR

FACING PAGE In 2013-2015, Dr. Sahil Nijhawan led a study in Dibang valley involving hundreds of camera traps which revealed that the valley was home to the highest-living population of tigers in India! Six colour morphs of the Asian golden cat that had previously never been seen (the tightly rosetted morph pictured on top) were also caught on camera! Read more about Dibang valley’s stunning biodiversity on our website.

40 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 41 UGHTERI LA NG STOP SLAUGHTERING WILDLIFE S W tt F P I e o O L b u T D S r n L

I Prevent the next pandemic

o d F E C a t

i

e

o In partnership with The Corbett Foundation

h n

T P RE IC September 2020 V EM EN ND T THE NEXT PA

The Goal: Target the wildlife markets and the The campaign was hosted on the crowdfunding illegal wildlife trade emerging in India with platform Ketto. support from wildlife supporters from India and Amount Raised: Rs. 15,00,000 ($20,000~) around the world. Looking Ahead The campaign aimed to do this by: Sanctuary and The Corbett Foundation l Working with key partners, food and have identified and appointed a health professionals, government campaign in-charge as well as campaign agencies and local communities across coordinators in the areas outlined in India to create awareness about the Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, and Assam. impact of degradation of habitats and Grassroots conservationists have also the commercial trade of wildlife species been identified to communicate the l upliftment of communities and consequences of contact between wild generation of alternative species and humans within livelihood opportunities their communities. l recognising grassroots conservationists, each of whom are contributing These coordinators and grassroots steadfastly to biodiversity conservation leaders will begin work in tandem with key and community engagement in distinct partners, food and health professionals, and measurable ways government agencies and the local l Working with government agencies, communities to create awareness about the social media giants and advertisers to impact of degradation of habitats and the target online markets being used by the commercial trade of wildlife species. illegal wildlife trade l Communicating the consequences of Future Pandemics While many viruses and bacteria The proceeds will be used to support close human – wild species contact grassroots organisations and individuals do not affect the wild animals they l Mobilising communities and who will work with Sanctuary and live on, they can be dangerous for decision makers The Corbett Foundation to build humans. As wild habitats continue to l slowing down the pace of species bridges with local communities and face large scale destruction by extinction due to the illegal trade create awareness about the impact of anthropogenic activities, there is also Crowdfunding and soliciting funds close contact with wild species for the increasing evidence that pushing human from the public mid-pandemic was not wildlife trade. a cakewalk despite the timeliness of the communities and wildlife closer together campaign. Garnering influencer support only heightens the risk for pathogen Communities identified on the ground: had its own roadblocks owing to the socio- spillover – meaning the likelihood of l Gond community in Khara village, political landscape in India at the time. pandemics is on an incline. nestled deep in the forests of Kanha- Pench Corridor, Madhya Pradesh. l Rongmei Nagas community in Dailong, a picturesque village in le Cava Tamenglong district, Manipur. l Pardhi community members Batal

Vis h rut Pardhi and Mahila Bai and Kheer Babu and Kunti bai of Panna in association with The Last Wilderness Foundation. l Karbi community in a Karbi village along the foothills of Karbi-Anglong Hills, Assam.

India’s traditional forest communities have survived for centuries in harmony with wild flora and fauna. However, the cold-blooded international wildlife trade cartels lure a handful of members from such communities whose hunting skills are then put to use to feed aran P

bottomless markets. (Facing page) A woman selling bull frogs in a market in Kohima, Nagaland. (Left) Sharks

M ana s being weighed before sale in Mangalore, Karnataka.

42 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 43 EVENTS 2020 ard s Aw

y P hotograph Wildlife Wildlife y ate of merit: San c tur merit: of c ertifi ate - - arak Chakra b ort y arak T

44 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 45 The Sanctuary Global Debate 2020 The Sanctuary Debate for Young India 2020

It’s money and the profit For the last two years, Sanctuary Nature motion were Dr. Jyotsna Puri, Priyanka Sanctuary believes that adults The Proposition for Round 1 and 2: “This house Existing tourism goals are motive that are ruling our Foundation has organised an ‘Oxford Chaturvedi and Rohit Bansal. The Debate have had their say, and it is time believes that the economy is a wholly owned not in tandem with conservation Union-style’ debate between some of was chaired by Amitabh Kant and Julia humanity turned to our future leaders subsidiary of the environment.” “action and unfortunately, not the most erudite speakers, all focused Marton-Lefèvre was the keynote speaker. for guidance on how to build a better “goals. The tourism industry the environment. Countries are on the tri-junction between economics, The speakers for the motion had world for wildlife and people alike. The Sanctuary Debate for Young India focuses majorly on economic pledging [to environmental biodiversity, climate change and health. various stances; Dr. Maria Neria spoke This year, we brought the Debate to 2021 was sponsored by Morningstar, impacts. But social and protection goals], but not The Debate brings together renowned about the importance of environment our youth in educational institutes across in partnership with CarbonCopy. The ecological impacts are left out. experts from various fields to have a protection for public health and thus India. The discussion was held virtually event was chaired by Vance Martin, an delivering and there’s much-needed discussion on environment economy; Pavan Sukhdev highlighted in three rounds. Students of St. Xavier’s acknowledged expert in international – Aditi Samant, IIT Bombay an accountability gap. conservation in today’s day and age. Due that it was the environment that built the College, Mumbai, and Indian Institute nature conservation and wilderness to the pandemic, the third Debate was economy; Navroz Dubash reminded the of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) protection and the President of WILD ” – Dr. Jyotsna (Jo) Puri moved online for the first time. audience that it was mistreatment of the competed in the first round on Foundation. The Jury panel consisted of The Sanctuary Global Debate 2020, environment that led to COVID-19, thus February 23, 2021, while the second Dr. Anish Andheria, President and CEO ” sponsored by Morningstar and held disrupting the economy; Dr. Jyotsna Puri round saw Sophia College for Women and of Wildlife Conservation Trust; Belinda in partnership with Sanctuary Nature stated that economic growth is in conflict Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Wright, Founder of WPSI; Payal Mehta, Foundation, BookMyShow with the environment; Priyanka Chaturvedi Studies (NMIMS) engage in a discussion naturalist and tour leader; Dr. Raghu and CarbonCopy, was held on Friday, iterated that the two entities need to remain on February 28, 2021. The two winning Chundawat, conservation biologist; Neha October 30, 2020. separate for the betterment of both; and teams, IIT Bombay and NMIMS, Sinha, conservation biologist and writer/ The speakers for the motion were Rohit Bansal suggested that the economy participated in the final round of the author; and Cara Tejpal, Conservation Dr. Maria Neira, Pavan Sukhdev and and environment had different agendas debate on March 17, 2021. Initiatives, Sanctuary Nature Foundation. Navroz Dubash. The speakers against the and histories.

Over the past year, on account of reduced tourism “because of the pandemic, poaching has increased exponentially. Low revenue has forced local communities to resort to poaching for survival. – Samkeet Shah, NMIMS ”

46 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 47 The Sanctuary Wildlife Photography Awards 2020

The Sanctuary Wildlife Photography Swati Thiyagarajan, award-winning Awards are considered to represent the environmental journalist, hosted the event Over 3,000 entries were received, which apex of wildlife photography in India – a from her home in Cape Town, South Africa. were shortlisted and winners selected by discipline that is as much an art, as it is a After introductions to the awards ceremony, a world-class jury panel: science. Our winners use the camera as a the 35 shortlisted images were showcased l Steve Winter, globally celebrated vital tool for conservation, bringing to light with brief natural history descriptions National Geographic Conservation environmental issues that are often largely behind them. Finally, the winning images Photographer ignored. Biplab Hazra’s image of torched were announced. The First, Second and Third l dr. Anish Andheria, Conservation elephants that won him the Sanctuary Prize winners were each awarded Rs. 1,50,000, biologist, wildlife photographer and Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award Rs. 75,000 and Rs. 25,000 respectively. The President, Wildlife Conservation Trust in 2017 is one such capture that brought Certificates of Merit were awarded Rs. 2,500 each. l nayan Khanolkar, Educationist, global attention to human-elephant conflict The event was also graced by our Conservation Biologist and Wildlife in Assam, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Tamil sponsors Aditi Kothari Desai, wildlife Photographer Nadu and more. The Awards thus cherish supporter, Executive Vice President, of DSP l Prasenjeet Yadav, Molecular unforgettable captures that render our jury Investment Managers, and Board member, Biologist, Himalayan trekker, speechless, and widely share stories that Wildlife Conservation Trust; Roopa National Geographic Explorer and beg to be told. Satish, Head, Corporate and Investment Photographer In 2020, the ceremony was held online Banking, IndusInd Bank; and our co- l himanshuu Sheth, acclaimed for the first time in its 20-year history, the sponsor – Mahesh Kolli, President and Travel and Nature Photographer, silver lining being that we were able to Joint Managing Director, Greenko. Other and founder of Himanshuu Sheth reach out to a truly global audience. On prominent guests included Urvi Piramal, Photosafaris December 19, 2020, the Sanctuary Nature Chairperson of the Urvi Ashok Piramal l Joanna Van Gruisen, Wildlife Foundation, supported by DSP Investment Foundation, and Craig Foster, award- Photographer, Filmmaker and nature

Sanctuary Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020: Managers Pvt. Ltd., IndusInd Bank and winning Wildlife Cinematographer-Director tourism professional, Sarai at Toria, Pratik Uday Pradhan: Aurora Blues Greenko, in partnership with Delhibird of the Netflix Documentary ‘My Octopus Panna Tiger Reserve Foundation, presented the awards online Teacher’, who presented awards to l dr. Parvish Pandya, Director, Science, at a virtual ceremony. the winners. Natural History and Photography, Sanctuary Asia Joint Second Prize & People’s Choice Award 2020: l Lakshmy Raman, Story Teller, Sitaram Dinkar Raul: Ghost Protocol Executive Editor, Sanctuary Asia l Bittu Sahgal, Founder, and Editor of rds 2017 rds wa Sanctuary Nature Foundation l swati Thiyagarajan, award-winning wildlife journalist y A g r aph y P h oto Wildli f e San ctu a ry / H a zr Bi p l ap

An elephant mother and calf attempt to flee a mob in the Bankura district of West Bengal. Biplap Hazra (Sanctuary Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award in 2017) brought global attention to the adverse impacts of immense human-wildlife conflict across India. A long- term conservation strategy and consistent action are the need of the hour.

48 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 49 I find it wonderful that an insect won the prestigious “first prize. I was very moved seeing all these images, and the humility of the photographers comes through. Very powerful photographs. Thank you Bittu, you are such an inspiration to so many young people and to all of us here in South Africa. An absolute gem of a human being. Thank you for making me part of this event. First Prize went to Pratik Uday Pradhan Malabar giant squirrel prey, in the Bandipur for his image ‘Aurora Blues’ – the Tiger Reserve. – Craig Foster, Award-winning ephemeral movements of a cranefly, This year, the audience attending the Wildlife Filmmaker, South Africa skillfully captured in slow-shutter speed in live event also participated enthusiastically ” Matheran, Maharashtra. in voting for the first ever Sanctuary People’s Choice Wildlife Photography Joint Second Prizes went to Mousam Ray Award. The winner was – Sitaram Dinkar and Sitaram Dinkar Raul for their images Raul’s image ‘Ghost Protocol’! ‘Bird Bath’ (a Crimson Sunbird bathing Joint Second Prize: in the bowl-like petal of an ornamental Sanctuary also awarded: Mousam Ray: Bird Bath banana flower in Coochbehar, Certificates of Merit: Mandar Ghumare, West Bengal) and ‘Ghost Protocol’ Arghya Adhikary, Umeed Mistry, Shiv (a fruit bat framed by the leafy branches Kumar and Tarak Chakraborty of a tree before darting into the darkness, Third Prize: in Badlapur, Maharashtra) respectively. Honourable Mentions: Chandrasekar Priyanka Rahut Mitra: Leap of Death Das, Mayur Shinde, Hira Punjabi, Pushpal Third Prize went to Priyanka Rahut Mitra for Goswami and Ashok Kallagunta her image ‘Leap of Death’ – the fraction of a second before a leopard captured its Editor’s Choice: Yashpal Rathore

The event was also screened live on our decades and all our ceremonies have Facebook page, as well as seven other online been at venues where humans could streaming partners. Overall, till April 21, 2021, meet and interact with each other. This the ceremony video has reached 1,59,203 people time however, the awards ceremony was on Facebook. virtual and while the hugs, backslapping All of us at Sanctuary are gratified to and handshakes were missing, instead see the evolution of wildlife photography of the usual 1,000+ people who witness into a strong conservation tool. This our ‘shows’ we were gifted an amazingly is one area where technology has large viewership. We owe our loyal, been genuinely put to good use. We strong and purposeful constituency a at Sanctuary have been fighting to huge debt of gratitude for being the wind protect species and wildernesses for four under our sails.

Apart from enjoying the event, I was thrilled to see the 10 final images. They were all so special “and each told a fascinating story. It was particularly enjoyable to take part in the People’s Choice Award and I was interested to see the two photos that I liked the best won joint second prizes. – Carol Inskipp, Durham, England 50 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 ” 51 Belinda Wright became The Sanctuary Wildlife Awards 2020 W RIGHT the first woman recipient of the Sanctuary Lifetime : B ELINDA : Service Award in 2012. The Sanctuary Wildlife Awards, for decades, inspiring millions, sparking It was a privilege to be instituted in the year 2000, attempts to turn movements, unearthing natural history recognised at the Sanctuary The founder of the Wildlife India’s eyes to exceptional men, women knowledge, building conservation Courte sy Protection Society of and children who work with steadfast strategies, and shaping communities. “awards and featured in the India, she is a renowned passion to protect what remains of wild Award: Rs. 1,50,000. magazine. I am indebted to the nature. Individuals from varied fields are Green Teacher Award: To honour skilled Sanctuary Nature Foundation tiger conservationist and educators who challenge norms and considered – forest officers, entrepreneurs, for being the voice of nature for campaigner who has artists, economists, students, writers, inspire youth to connect with the wild pioneered investigations into filmmakers… the common thread is and join the conservation community as so many decades. I know that informed, concerned individuals. the illegal wildlife trade in their commitment to nature and wildlife Sanctuary Asia magazine is conservation. Recipients of the Awards have Award: Rs. 50,000. South Asia. Wildlife Service Award: To honour inspired nearly as old as it took for me to subsequently had their work recognised grow the forest now known widely by the conservation community wildlifers, forest employees, researchers, and found access to aid for their ongoing villagers… anyone currently involved as Molaikathoni. projects in the form of support or funding. with in-situ nature conservation who have displayed extraordinary courage, Each year, we invite nominations and – Jadav Payeng, Sanctuary entries from the Sanctuary network – dedication and determination and set high personal standards for others to follow. Wildlife Service Award ”(2012) readers, supporters, writers, naturalists and Award: Rs. 50,000. photographers – looking for the best and Young Naturalist Award: To honour driven brightest in India’s biodiversity conservation youth leaders who set an example for their canvas. After a gruelling selection process, peers and older generations alike, through winners are selected as the recipients of their thirst for knowledge and conservation one of four prestigious titles. entrepreneurship… motivated by hopes of Lifetime Service Award: To honour protectors their own future on planet Earth. of wild habitats who have been in action Award: Rs. 25,000. tio n f ou n d a ture ture na ry s an ctu a ry heodore Ba s karan T heodore : : Courte sy

S. Theodore Baskaran, Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award winner in 2020, believes ABOVE LEFT A snapshot from the Awards held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai that indigenous knowledge and in December 2019. A delightful evening of appreciation the need for conservation must for many of Earth’s defenders, it was hosted elegantly by award-winning actor Naseeruddin Shah. be communicated in regional languages. He has contributed LEFT The continued mismanagement of our wild habitats that led to the onset of the COVID-19 greatly to the discourse through pandemic forced us to honour our 2020 winners his writings in Tamil and English. virtually. Despite the change in presentation format, the awards event was a resounding success.

52 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 53 Rita Banerji, Wildlife Service Award The 2020 Winners 2020, while filming ‘Shores of Silence B ANERJI RITA – Whale Sharks in India’, which won : a Green Oscar at the Wildscreen For the year 2020, Sanctuary awarded 13 incredible finalists in four categories working tirelessly in various roles to boost the conservation morale. Nominated Festival in U.K., and led to a ban on Courte sy by veterans in the field, superiors and colleagues, the finalists share true grit, a killing whale sharks in India. Sanctuary knack for innovation and a passion to build a better future for the planet’s wild and Wildlife Award winners are courageous, human denizens. Sponsored by DSP Investment Managers Pvt. Ltd., IndusInd Bank, dedicated conservationists whose work Morningstar India and Greenko, the Awards were held online on January 30, 2020. The awards opening address was given by the legendary Dr. Jane Goodall. drives real change. She also presented a Wildlife Service Award and was joined by veteran conservationists like Dr. Vandana Shiva, Dr. Bivash Pandav, and Belinda Wright and humanitarian Dia Mirza.

Lifetime Service Award: Theodore Baskaran Wildlife Service Award: Meghna Banerjee and A conservation writer, historian, naturalist, Suvrajyoti Chatterjee author and veteran activist. Lawyer-herpetologist duo, fearless activists S. Theodore Baskaran has contributed and wildlife-community conservationists. greatly to the conservation discourse Co-founders of Human and through his continuing legacy of writings in Environment Alliance League (HEAL), both Tamil and English. they have meticulously undertaken photo Green Teacher Award: Dr. P.U. Antony and video documentation of the barbaric A long-time educator, inspiring youth leader ritualistic hunting of hundreds of wild and driven environmentalist. animals since 2016. A distinguished professor emeritus of Wildlife Service Award: Latika Thukral, Swanzal at Christ Deemed to be University, Kak Kapoor and Vijay Dhasmana founder of Green Army and Forest Watch. Gurugram’s green defenders and rewilders Both within and outside the classroom, of the Aravali Biodiversity Park. Anthony has been a green guiding force for students, initiating citizen science projects Their colossal rewilding effort, spanning around Bengaluru. over a decade, including collaborations with municipal authorities, corporates and Wildlife Service Award: Dr. Sanjay Molur private citizens, led to the birth of the 380- A passionate wildlifer, versatile conservation acre Aravali Biodiversity Park. TESTIMONIALS: “I was so happy to see Brijlal ji getting a biologist and inspiring mentor. “Thanks Sanctuary, for giving recognition to Sanctuary Award from Dame Jane Goodall. Spending 28 years in the field, Sanjay Young Naturalist Award: Anurag Karekar a foot soldier of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve I have been fortunate to see the Dudhwa has specialised in risk assessment and A multi-lingual nature educator. (Brijlal, Wildlife Service Award 2020). The Tiger Reserve through his eyes. Our forest conservation planning of wild species, and Co-founder of NaturalisT Foundation Terai is one of the toughest landscapes frontline staff are unsung heroes and has assisted in the assessment of more than at age 23, Anurag has led hundreds of for conserving wildlife. I’m sure this will deserve all the recognition and honour 10,000 taxa within India, South Asia, and workshops and nature trails for thousands encourage many more to excel in the field they get. Congratulations Meghna Banerjee around the world. of citizens, young and old, through wild and contribute significantly.” and Suvrajyoti Chatterjee for winning the Wildlife Service Award: Rita Banerji habitats in Mumbai. – Ramesh Pandey IFS Sanctuary Wildlife Service Award. I am in tears and my heart bursts with pride. I A wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, youth Young Naturalist Award: Ridhima Pandey icon and mentor. “It’s just amazing to see such wonderful personally know you both as courageous A climate change activist, public speaker, Over the past two decades, her portfolio work being done by dedicated people, warriors with a fierce commitment to wildlife.” and conservation communicator. includes several path-breaking projects in from ordinary walks of life. You really – Prerna Singh Bindra, award- She is one of 16 children activists the capacity of director, producer, editor need grit, passion and determination to winning environmental journalist petitioning the United Nations Committee and cameraperson. Her ‘Shores of Silence – achieve what the recipients have! I salute and author on the Rights of the Child to hold five Whale Sharks in India’ (2000) won the Green their hard selfless work.” economic powers accountable for their Oscar. After working as an apprentice for – Deepak Parekh, “The awards were just fabulous, the climate inaction! Riverbank Studios’ Mike Pandey, she founded Chairman, HDFC Limited awardees amazing, and the award-givers legendary and inspiring. The Sanctuary Dusty Foot Productions and Green Hub. Young Naturalist Award: Suhaib Firdous Yatoo “We have always wanted to contribute Wildlife Awards 2020 was an opportunity to Wildlife Service Award: Brijlal An amateur naturalist, taxonomist, to Sanctuary’s cause in any small way experience greatness. I loved Brijlal! Anurag, A self-taught naturalist and birder, avid photographer and repository of natural we could. And this was an opportunity Ridhima and Suhaib are so, so special and wildlifer and Dudhwa connoisseur. history knowledge. we couldn’t miss. There’s a lot more future game-changers; and to hear and see Inducted into the Dudhwa Tiger His passion for documenting we’d like to do. But this was a fantastic Jane Goodall on this occasion… well, what Reserve as a truck driver, Brijlal picked microorganisms, fungi, flora and insects story to work on. And the learning can one say: a big thank you to Sanctuary!” up a keenness to document the park’s makes him an indispensable resource to was immense.” – Romi Narang, Sanctuary well- biodiversity and went on to identify 450 the Wildlife Conservation Fund in Pampore, – Pankaj Singh, Faraway Originals wisher and supporter bird species and 136 butterfly species. Jammu and Kashmir.

54 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 55 BEHIND THE SCENES A dak

Sanjo y

56 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 57 Our ongoing PROJECTS Kids for Tigers and Mud on Boots are making an impact on thousands of men, women and children through environmental education, and funding and support for grassroots conservation work.

Cara Tejpal Maitreyee Mujumdar Amandeep Kaur Bamrah MEET THE TEAM

The EDITORIAL & DESIGN team rolls out communications for the Foundation and maintains our web presence, engaging with our readers and supporters through impact reports, newsletters, social media, guidebooks, coffee-table books and of course, the two magazine editions, Sanctuary Asia and Sanctuary Cub. Director, Conservation Head, Project Coordinator, National Coordinator, Communications and Strategy Mud on Boots Kids for Tigers

BITTU SAHGAL Lakshmy Raman Tara Sahgal CORPORATE & ACCOUNTS attends to all business-related inquiries, from advertising and magazine circulation, to managing donor relationships and finances, and looking out for funding opportunities.

Shashi Kumar Nishita Kanojia

Editor, Sanctuary Asia. Executive Editor Editor-in-Chief, Sanctuary Cub

Abinaya Kalyanasundaram DIVYA KILIKAR Umesh Bobade qamruddin shaikh Director, Advertising & Senior Manager, Client Servicing Marketing & Fundraising

P. Bhaskar Vina Sonu Sarika Oka

Assistant Editor Assistant Editor Art Director Art Director & Image Editing

Circulation and Subscription Head, Accounts Head, Accounts Our in-house NATURAL HISTORY experts ensure our on-ground efforts and events run smoothly, maintain our world class Photo Library and engage with the extended conservation community to organise project collaborations. OFFICE ASSISTANTS ensure our day-to-day operations run smoothly across all teams.

Dr. Parvish Pandya Prachi Galange Saurabh Sawant Harishchandra Jairaj Naidu Suresh shetty

Director, Science and Senior Consultant Photo Editor Consultant, Projects & Office Assistant Office Assistant Office Assistant Conservation & Naturalist Natural History

58 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 59 DONORS & SUPPORTERS DONORS & SUPPORTERS

Anduya Dehl Burjor Randeria Gopinath Kodancha Anil Kamath C.S.D. Adenwalla Trust Goutam Munshi Anil Kilachand Cara Tejpal H.T. Parekh Foundation Anil Ramachandran Celia Abraham Harmeet Rana Aniruddh Kasliwal Chaitanya Rawat Harsh Shah Anirudh Nair Chandrika Pathak Hema Maira Anish Andheria Charu Sharma Hemal Prajapati Anita Arjunadas Chirodeep Chaudhuri Hemanth Satyanarayana Anjali Chawla Clifford Monis Hemendra Kothari Foundation Anjali Pratap Climate Trends LLP Hetal C. Dedhia Anuradha Kaistha Cyrus Guzder Himani Shukla Anush Hari Daanish Shastri Hira Steven Dr. Aparna Gupta Daisy Maneck Sidhwa Homi Adajania Aparna Watve Dalip Pathak Hridai Somani Apoorva lakhia Darshana Poojara Indiabulls Aradhana Bisht Debaprasad Das Indru Advani Aromi Salot Debendra Kishore Panda Doosri Radha IndusInd Bank Arpita Chowdhury Deepa and Rajesh Malhotra InnoVen Capital India Pvt. Ltd. Asad Lalljee Deepika Gandhi Inox Leisure Ltd. Aseem Bhargava Deepishikha Khanna Iskander Lalljee Asha Kumar Denzil Sequeira Ismail Kurwa Ashish Bapna Desert Friendly Camps Pvt. Ltd. J. Annie Sheeba Ashish Gauba Dev and Shila Jalan Foundation J.R. Mohan Ashish Sharad Gumashta Devika Bhojwani J.Vivekananthan Ashish Shukla Dhananjay Sardeshpande Jaigopal Shukla Ashmita Sandeep Ray Sarkar Dhaval More Jamal Mecklai Ashutosh Sharma Dia Mirza Jasmine Adenwalla Ashvini Gautam Dilnavaz Variava Jatin Patel Ashwin Patil Dipankar Roy Jayanta Das Ashwini kulkarni Divrina Dhingra Jayashree Grover Assad Dadan Divya Atul Jayashree Srivatsan Avani Diwan Arun Nanda Jitendra Raol Avik Chanda Doreen D’Sa Johaan Nath Avnish Mehra DSP Investment Managers Pvt Ltd. John K. John Aziz Khan Earth Day Network India John L. Bissell Foundation B. Sri Ram Murthy Elizabeth Nanda JSW IP Holdings Pvt. Ltd. B.N. Rao Environment Conservation Group Jyoti Raut A.K. Vasumathi Ajay Jhalani Amandeep Kaur Bamrah B.S. Santosh Farhat Jamal K.V.Dinesh Aadi Bhure Ajay Sonarikar Amar Singh Pawar Balipura Foundation Flavia Rodrigues Kakul Gautam Aanya Gadodia Akancsha Sood Ami Parekh Dr. Bandana Majumdar Freya Dastur Kamala Venkataramani Abhijit Raha Akanksha Nadgonde Amit B. Choudhury Barada Prasad Bhattacharya G. Raju Kanwar Veerajan Nath Abraham Chacko Akara Art Gallery Amit Chandra Bhagwati Steel Corporation Gannon Dunkerley and Company Ltd. Katie Bagli Aditi Mehra Akash Gulalia Amit Walambe Bharat Floorings & Tiles Pvt.Ltd Gauri Arun Karnik Katyayani Mudholkar Aditya Agarwal Akbar Khan Amita Gandhi Bhushan G.Pandya Gauri Nair KatyayaniMudholkar Aditya Birla Capital Limited. Akshay Pakvasa Amitabh Nanda Bhuvnesh Chandra Gautam Benjamin Kaushik Shanghvi Aditya Dhawan Akutai Kalyani Charitable Trust Amitava Banerjee Bijal Meswani Gayatri Ghogrre Kausik Nandi Dr. Aditya Jindal Alankrita Narayan Amrita Lalljee Bindu M.S. Girish Chhatpar Kaustubh Bhagat Aditya Narain Alisha Mehra Anand Jhaveri Bipanchi Lahon Girish Dikey Kedar Gore Advertising Concessionaires Pvt Ltd. Alka Bhise Anand Khatau Bishwajit Bhattacharyya Godrej Ketan Vikamsey Adwait Hebbar Alkyl Amines Chemicals Ltd. Anand Madabhushi Boon Investment & Trading Co. Pvt. Ltd. Goodedge Advisory Pvt. Ltd. KGK Diamonds (I) Pvt. Ltd. Agnitra Ghosh Alok Kshirsagar Anand Mihir Brinda Malhotra Gooloo Nazir Khushi Jain Ajay Arjit Singh Alokik Advani Ananya Mehta Bunty Chand Gopakumar Marayil Kirtidev Munshi

60 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 61 DONORS & SUPPORTERS DONORS & SUPPORTERS

Kishore Asar Naniben Mehta R & N Nanavati Charitable trust Sanal Nair Sonal Pakvasa Teena Shetty Kishore Mariwala Naushad Patel Rachna Darda Sanjay Gupta Sonia Duhan Thirumalai Shatrugan Kranti ben Setalvad Naval Firoze Pandole Radiant Texfab Pvt. Ltd. Sanjay Sami Soonita Sahasrabuddhe Triangulum Communication Pvt.Ltd. Krishnan Katyal Navaneeth Hebbar N. Raghavendra Pattar Sanjeeta Bhattacharya Soonoo Taraporewala Trisha Thomas Laila Kizilbash Navaz Mehra Rahul Sanjeev Anand Sooraj Bishnoi Troy Pinto Lakshmi Bhatia Navendu Rahul Khera Sanjeev Bikhchandani Sophie Moochhala Uday Khanna Lakshmi Menon Bhatia Navmi Kamath Rahul Khosla Sanjeev Kumar Vinodrai Patel Srijani Samaddar Uday Naik Lakshmi Peri Navtika Sharma Rahul N Bhagat Sanjoy Roy Srila Chatterjee Underwater Services Comapy Ltd. Lakshmy Raman Neelam Ahluwalia Nakra Raj Krishnani Sarika Oka Srinath Sridharan Urvashi Das Louise Banerji Productions Neena Ramaswami Rajdhani Investments & Agencies Satya Mohanty Srinivasa Rao M. Urvashi Mehta M.S. Ranganathan Nefertiti Chakrabarti Pvt. Ltd. Satyesh Naik St. Andrew’s College of Arts, Science & Urvi Ashok Piramal Foundation M.C. Subbayya Nikhil Devasar Rajeev Samant Shaan Khattau Commerce Usha Ramaiah Madhav subedi Nikhil Saigal Rajendra Kumar Kasliwal Shahneen Parikh Suchita Salwan Utsav Kapadia Madhavi Indap Nikkhil Advani Rajesh Khanna Shailendra Baranwal Sudha and Pradip Shah Uttara Parikh Madhvendra Puri Das Niloufer Bilimoria Rajesh Krishnamachari Shailendra Yashwant Dr. Sudhir Gaikwad Inamdar V. Ravi Maha N.V. Nimrata Virk Rajinikanth Shailesh P. Mahadevia Sudhir Gupta Vaibhav Sinha Mahadevan Nochur Venkatakrishnan Nishita Kanojia Rajnarayan Balak Shalini Aggarwal Suguna Swami Vaishali Rawat Maloo Natarajan Nitin R. Deshpande Rajnish Dhall Shaneen Parikh Suhail Chander Veena Gupta Mandira Bedi Nozer Shroff Raju Govindarajalu Shankar Gopalkrishnan Sujoy Bose Venkata Sunil Mithra Darisa Mandira Singh Onusha Dey Rakesh Vohra Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure Capital Sula Vineyards Pvt. Ltd. Verandah Manisha Chaudhary P.J. Dilip Kumar Ram Gopalakrishnan Co. Pvt. Ltd. Sumer Vaidya Vijay Khurana Manisha Gera Baswani Palani Raja Rama Lakshmi Peri Shashank Birla Suneera Madhok Vijay Ramnath Manjeet Lamba Hirani Panchali Gupta Ramaswamy Meyyappan Shashi Kumar Suneet Kothari Vikram Desai Mansarovar Agencies Partho Banerjee Ramchandar Nath Foundation Shekhar Gadekar Sunil Kanojia Vikram Gupta Margarete Dr. Parvish Pandya Ramesh Ganesan Shekhar Sawant Sunil Kumar C.K. Vikram Lal Mathangi Venkateswaran Paul Abraham Ramya Ganapathy Shekhar Shah Suparna Gupta Vikram Thapar Meenakshi Deekshit Pavan Sukhdev Rana Nandy Shilpa Sharma Consulting Superlative Finance & Investment Pvt. Ltd. Vikramdev Rao Meenakshi Menon Paytm Randhir Sahgal Shireen Vandrevala Supriya Gandhi Vina Gangadharan Meera Chauhan Peeyush Sekhsaria Ranjit Maijikar Shitin Desai Suraj Katra Vinay Majithia Megha Pereena Lamba Rasna Behl Shree Ram Charitable Trust Suresh Advani Vinay Maniar Megha Babaycon Pervin Rumi Jehangir Realest Builders and Services Pvt. Ltd. Shreya Rao Sushama Ravi Bhoothalingam Vinay Menon Megha Moorthy Pheroza Godrej Rediffusion Brand Solutions Pvt Ltd Shridevi Sindagiv Susheel Somani Vineet Khunger Meher Hora Dr. Philippe Malet Reena Mathur Shrikant Krishan Sushma Albal Vineet Verma Mehli Mistri Pidilite Industriess. Ltd. Rekha Khanna Shrinath Bolloju Sushmeetha Vineetaz Fashion House Mehroo Kotval Polytech Millenium (I) Pvt. Ltd. Richa Singh Shriyans Prasad Charitable Trust Sushmita Azad Vinit Phatak Melvin Pereira Pooja Vir Rina Kamath Shuchi Kothari Swapna Nelaballi Vinod Saryu Doshi Foundation Miel Sahgal Prabha Katyal Ritika Shyam Ghate Swarnab Deb Viraj Industrial Ltd. Mihir Bhavsar Pradeep Nakhate Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies Siddharth Banerjee Swarup Kumar Kar Vivek Gandhi Mira Gupta Pradip Chaudhuri Rohit Choudhury Siddharth Mani Iyer Taher Khairullah Vivekanand Kamath Mitisha Mehta Pradman Trading Co. Pvt Ltd Rosemary Parambi Siddhartha Shantagiri Tanish Hasija Waswo X. Waswo Mohit Gupta Pragya Sharma Roshni Anand Siddika Yoosufali Chinwala Tanmoy Bhaduri Wildlife Conservation of Trust Moneisha Gandhi Prakriti Rupam Saikia Sidhant Housing and Development Tanya Kumar Win Communication Morningstar India Private Limited Prasanta Ghosh S. Santhi Company Tapas Acharya Yasmin Khan Moushumi Ghosh Prashaant Bhujbal Sabyasachi Mallik Sidharth Prasad Tara Chanda Yogesh Kothari Mubaraque Hussain Prasun De Sachin Wagle SIES College of Arts, Science & Tara Lal Yuvan Aves Mukundan S.Chettiyappa Pratruca Charitable Trust Sachit Sahni Commerce Tara Sahgal Zarine Balaporia Murli Indru Advani Prem Janardan Kamath Sagar Kunde Simran Kalra Tarun Gupta Zeenat Sadikot Nadeem Qadri Prerna Gupta Sahil Sangha Sitara Chowfla Tata Chemicals Ltd. Naheed Carrimjee Prof. Pankaj Sekhsaria Sakshi Kumar Naman Shah Pundoles’s Art Gallery Samar Singh Sanctuary Nature Foundation is a Section 8 Company registered under the Company Act, 2013. It is also registered under Section 12A of the Income Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital Purnima Thacker Samson Maritime Ltd. Tax Act, 1961, with registration number U74120MH2015NPL270033 (Mumbai). Donations can be made by cheque, or bank transfer and are eligible for Nandan Malushte Pushkar Chaubal Sanad Sandhu tax deduction under section 80G of the Income Tax Act. The Foundation is also registered with Niti Aayog with the unique ID number MH/2018/0186537.

62 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 63 Oct/Dec 1982 Sept/Oct 1985 June 1993 April 1998 April 1999 The Lions of Gir Snow Monkeys Birds of India Pictures from Paradise Hunters of the Skies An Andaman Experience Sunderbans Crabs Forest Spotted Owlet Mahabaleshwar Warblers The Man-Eating Syndrome Hyenas Bori Sanctuary Bhimgad State of the Tiger The Frogs Jasrota Srisailam Dalma Trail to Nowhere Sanctuary Asia, Vol. XXII No.4, August 2002 August No.4, XXII Vol. Asia, Sanctuary Sanctuary Asia Vol. XXI No.6, December 2001 December No.6, Vol.XXI Asia Sanctuary

50/- 50/- Vol.XXI No.6, December 2001 Vol.XXII No.4, August 2002

June 1999 August 1999 December 2001 August 2002 August 2004 Wildlife TourismWildlife

Tigers & Terrorism Vote Do Jungle Lo The Year That Was YearThe Was That India’s Wild Heart Incredible India! Reptiles: Packaged for Survival Forest Forts Ladakh Mountain Lakes Tawang: Himalayan Haven Tawang Tribal Reserves Saving the Turtles Poison Eaters Floricans: Dudhwa’s Jewels Wild Buffalo Pichavaram Tracking the Monal Ladakh

Himalayan Adventure Goa’s Green Gold Angkor Wat Pichavaram: Forest by the Sea Jaldapara Snake Eagles Snake Ladakh Floricans mountain lakes Panna Panna

Wild Buffalo Buffalo Wild Tawang

himalayan haven Angkor WatAngkor Floricans dudhwa’s jewels Wild buffalo Brahmagiris Gangetic Dolphins Gangetic Angkor Wat Pichavaram forest by the sea The Year That Was Andamans the highs and lows of 2001 India’s wild heart wildlife tourism, a conservation tool?

Sanctuary Deceber 2001 Cyan Magenta Yellow Black #150 PantonePantone 810 810 2X 2X CVC CVC #150

Sanctuary August 2002 Cyan Magenta Yellow Black #150 PantonePantone 810 2X 804 CVC CVC Sanctuary #150 August 2002 PANTONE 465 CVC Black #150

December 2004 February 2005 October 2008 December 2010 October 2012 India’s Earth Heroes Kaziranga, Pride of Assam Wildlife Tourism, Bane or Boon? Green Visionaries Wild Maharashtra Turtles: Threatened Reptiles Seasons in the Sun Go Get Wet Expedition Talle Valley The Markhor of Pir-Panjal Zangskar: Snow Leopard Country Herpetologists’ Journey Sariska Must Not Die The Garo Hills The Bompu Litter Frog Satpuras: India’s Tiger Haven Tsunami Musings Bushmeat Hunting Making of ‘The Wild Meat Trail’ A Reprieve for Kaziranga

CMYK

or or Asia, VolumeSanctuary 40 RNI N0. 37628/1981

I VOLUME 40 I ISSUE 10 I MUMBAI OCTOBER 2020 I PAGES 124 I INR 100/- Issue 10 I October 2020 IndIa’s RaRest, Least-Known BIRds And Why We Must Protect Them Pulicat in Peril Fighting for an Astounding Lagoon April 2014 October 2015 February 2017 October 2018 October 2020 avIan MneMonIcs Birding by the Ear Must-Have Birding Books and Gear Post Sariska Travelling Wild A Fork in Our Path Wild Madhya Pradesh Avians: The Dinosaurs Among Us Climbing Mount Kanamo Reaching for the Sky Feral Dogs or Wildlife The Call of the Chengu India’s Rarest Least-Known Birds

The Magic of Mangalajodi Bird-Eat-Bird World Dolphins or Waterways State vs. Elephas maximus Pulicat in Peril l Myanmar Golden Langurs of Kakoijana Searching for Arcadia Living Seas or Industrial Fleets Tiger Connectivity Avian Mnemonics l Middle Andamans l Wildlife Hero Vijay Cavale

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64 Impact Report 2020-2021 Impact Report 2020-2021 65 D evarajan arunanithi K arunanithi

Corporate Office: Sanctuary Nature Foundation, Maker Chambers V, Nariman Point, Mumbai - 400021.

Mailing Address: No. 146, Sanctuary Asia, Pragati Industrial Estate, N.M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (East), Mumbai - 400013.

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66 Impact Report 2020-2021