LESSONS IN SHARING THE PLANET
Wildlife ecologist Vidya Athreya will elaborate on the complexities of the man– animal conflict and the way forward, at her talk this week
Wildlife enthusiasts in Pune have an opportunity this Saturday to appease their curiosity about the co-existence of man in nature at the ‘Living with Wildlife in India’ talk organised by Pune Science on Tap, which is an initiative that brings together scientists and interested members of the public in a casual setting.
The talk will be given by Vidya Athreya, a wildlife ecologist who has studied the interactions between leopards and humans for the last 15 years. She says, “Through this informal gathering, we aim to increase awareness on the complex nature of shared spaces.”
Vidya Athreya
Athreya’s work, for which she has won several awards, has led to an increased awareness about the big cats that are found outside Protected Areas. “In India, there are many misconceptions about wildlife — there is a general belief that wild animals are only supposed to inhabit forests. When a leopard strays outside the forest, it is portrayed negatively,” she says. The ecologist has also been involved in the formulation of state and national policy guidelines on managing human–leopard conflict. The Pune-based Athreya, holds master’s degrees in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the universities of Pondicherry and Iowa, and a doctorate from Manipal University. Affiliated as a research associate with the Wildlife Conservation Society’s India programme in Bangalore, Athreya has extensively worked in Western Maharashtra, where leopards share spaces with humans. Under the aegis of her initiative, Project Waghoba, her colleagues and she study the Man-Animal Conflict as a socio-cultural problem, rather than a problem caused only by the big cats. Project Waghoba’s approach recognises that conflict is inevitable, but it contends that the attacks on humans can be avoided. “It is fascinating to note that wildlife and humans share spaces in many parts of rural India, where some of these animals are deeply revered. Other than addressing these complexities, we would also like to deliberate upon the way forward,” says Athreya.
Converging once a month, Pune Science on Tap offers anyone the opportunity to listen to scientists, researchers and experts, who are eager to share their research findings with the world. In the words of the organisers, they intend to “get people talking about science while having a drink, and to help everyone realise that science and scientists are neither scary nor boring.” Previous editions of this initiative have touched upon the technicalities of the changing monsoon patterns, mathematics and algorithms, human microbiology, and origin of life on earth.
WHERE: The Farm, NDA Road
WHEN: January 6, 7–10 pm
CONTACT: Register at punescienceontap@gmail.com (limited seating)
Source: http://punemirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/unwind/lessons-in-sharing-the-planet/articleshow/62355841.cms
