More at http://www.sanctuaryasia.com | People
if the birds were on the opposite side
of the valley, even when the geographic
distance was very less. Obviously,
populations of weak fl iers such as
babblers are unable to get across the
Brahmaputra to interbreed. The results
suggest that such weak fl iers require
focused conservation attention and
habitat protection since each of these
populations may well be genetically
isolated and unique.
Do academic articles such as the
one you published in Science help
protect species and habitats?
News through press, blogs, and social
media reach a wide audience in society.
But academic journals such as Science
reach a more niche ‘scientifi c’ audience.
It allows authors to describe in detail, the
scientifi c questions they are trying to
solve, patterns found and the mechanisms
that cause such patterns to occur in
nature. Since these articles are peer-
reviewed, they have higher credibility and
are more widely accepted than if you
were to publish the work in a newspaper.
The Science article probably alerted many
scientists and academicians to the plight
of Amur Falcons; probably more so than
the campaign did. The results of ecological
studies published in academic journals
also help conservationists design
management actions. Unfortunately,
there is very little cohesion between
scientists and managers in India and many
vitally important articles lie unread by
most, leave a few scientists. This is tragic
because they should actually be impacting
real conservation on the ground.
You chose to declare the new-
to-science Himalayan Forest
Thrush to Dr. Sálim Ali?
Dr. Sálim Ali’s contribution to ornithology
is immense. Not only did he survey the
remotest parts of India for avifauna,
he also took active measures for their
conservation. It is surprising therefore
that no Indian bird species had so
far been named after the venerable
‘Birdman of India’ though a few
subspecies do carry his name. When we
fi rst discovered the Himalayan Forest
Thrush, we had no doubt his legacy
should be acknowledged by naming the
bird Zoothera salimalii.And Vannya... your new bird app?
The world is changing rapidly with
technology now a predominant force
even outdoors. Nevertheless, birding
remains a relatively niche activity in
society. Vannya (see page 88) seeks
to change that by creating an exciting
interface that both novice and advance
birders can use to learn more about
birds. We also aim to create a common
platform for diff erent stakeholders
of the birding world to interact and
collaborate. I personally believe that
birders can act as eyes and ears for
threats to wildlife habitats and this
application could help knit us together to
the advantage of nature conservation.Is birding male-dominated?
Your advice to a 12-year-old
girl on how she can make aliving in the realm of wildlife
conservation.
This is an exciting time for young
girls to enter the fi eld of wildlife,
whether as a hobby or a career.
Indian parents are gradually
understanding the need to allow
girls the freedom to get outdoors
and choose their own career paths.
The fi eld is not so male-dominated
any longer... my Masters programme
actually had more girl students than
boys! There are also amazing women
conservationists around including
Dr. Vidya Athreya, Dr. Krithi Karanth,
Dr. Aparajita Dutta, and Dr. Divya
Mudappa whose work sets them up as
great role models for younger women
to follow. My advice to youngsters?
Read a lot. Learn as much as you
can. And, most importantly, spend
time outdoors observing our rich
natural heritage. qThis is an exciting time for young girls to enter the fi eld of wildlife, whether as a hobby or a career. Indian parents
are gradually understanding the need to allow girls the freedom to get outdoors and choose their own career paths.Shashank with his wife Vishnupriya Sankararaman, who used to be his batchmate during his
Masters Programme and a colleague while he was working as a Research Associate with WCS.PARIKSHIT KSHISTY