BBC Wildlife - UK (2020-08)

Assamese women don stork headdresses for the
annual adjutant ‘baby shower’. They are part of the
‘Hargilla Army’ – a conservation movement
founded by Purnima Devi Barman, a biologist for
wildlife NGO Aaranyak. Purnima has spent a
decade on the ground in three villages in Assam,
educating local women of the species’ importance.
“The shower is a blend of conservation and
tradition – it’s been a hit,” she says. “Rural women
need to be part of the conservation agenda.”