Archives at the National Centre for Biological Sciences

Public Lecture Series

https://www.ncbs.res.in/events/apls

Monthly talks framed around explorations in and around science archives. Discussions by archivists, historians, teachers, journalists, scientists and other academics.

Recovering Nature in Crowded India

Ullas Karanth. Director, Centre for Wildlife Studies

Friday, Dec 21, 2018. 4:00pm.

Lecture Hall -1 (Haapus), NCBS.

Abstract:

Wildlife and biodiversity conservation are now recognized as critical elements of a rational development policy because of utilitarian, aesthetic and even moral dimensions.  Conservation is an applied discipline, similar in some ways to medicine, agriculture and engineering in that it tries to apply principles of basic sciences of animal ecology and allied disciplines to solve conservation problems. The domain of conservation includes efforts at saving and recovering endangered species, mitigating damage to human interests from conflicts with wildlife, and, in some cases even sustainable harvest of wildlife species for human use.

However, in practice, conservation issues are usually viewed by governmental as well as non-governmental institutions on an emotional rather than a scientific basis.  If this science deficiency in conservation practice can be addressed effectively- by according a central role to conservation science - many critical issues we face today can be addressed much more effectively. I will illustrate these ideas with presentation of data and results from my 30 year experience in science-based conservation directed at wild tigers and other endangered species.