In this episode of Elephant Tails, we sit down with Wildlife SOS co-founder Geeta Seshamani to talk about the importance of empowering women to help conserve wildlife. During Geeta’s decade-long fight to eradicate the cruel ‘dancing’ bear practice in India, she immersed herself in the day-to-day lives of tribal communities. She learned that lasting change begins with uplifting women and girls from misogynistic traditions. Geeta listened to their hopes and needs, and devised clever ways to help these women gain valuable skills and education, allowing them to earn income and gain newfound respect in their communities.

Twenty years later these tribal women have permanent homes, their daughters are going to school and even college, they’re earning income for their families, and they’ve become conservation leaders in their communities.

Read more about the successful women and children of the Kalendar community: https://wildlifesos.org/tribal-rehabilition-programs/on-the-path-of-hope-mahaks-journey-through-wildlife-sos-tribal-rehabilitation-programme/ 

Geeta is interviewed by Wildlife SOS Director of Marketing and Communications, Dana Wilson. Learn more about Wildlife SOS at wildlifesos.org. 

This is the first in a three-part series discussing the work of Wildlife SOS to conserve wild elephant herds in India and reduce human-elephant conflict. This hands-on research and tracking in the state of Chhattisgarh is a pilot project we hope will expand to protect each and every one of the 27,000 wild Asian elephants left in India.

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Wildlife SOS Director of Marketing and Communications, Dana Wilson chats with Thomas Sharp about the current status of elephants in Asia, what direct actions are being taken to protect wild herds, and what Wildlife SOS researchers are discovering that will help more elephants in the future.

Tom is the Director of Conservation and Research for Wildlife SOS and Co-Chair IUCN Sloth Bear Expert Team specializing in sloth bears, Asian elephants, reptiles and leopards in India. With 25 years of experience studying wildlife around the globe, Tom has worked with many species from turtles, snakes and crocodiles, nesting birds and raptors, small mammals, blue bull deer, and of course bears, leopards and elephants. He received his Master’s in biology from Northeastern University in Chicago.

Read more about our Chhattisgarh Wild Elephant Project 

Wildlife SOS is a Delhi based wildlife conservation nonprofit with offices in the USA and UK. Learn more at wildlifesos.org 

In this episode of Elephant Tails, Wildlife SOS Director of Advocacy and Engagement Kip Peterson talks about the Founders' Trip, where a handful of guest get the VIP treatment and an exclusive tour of India with Kartick and Geeta, Co-Founders of Wildlife SOS. See colorful sights including historic Old Delhi, our Elephant Care and Conservation Centre, the Taj Mahal, and search for wild tigers in the spectacular Ranthambore National Park.

Learn more about the experience and plan for your future adventure meeting the elephants of Wildlife SOS as they play in Yamuna river. It's the trip of a lifetime!

Kip is interviewed by Wildlife SOS Executive Director Nikki Sharp. To learn more about Wildlife SOS and our lifesaving work helping India's elephants, bears, leopards and other amazing animals, visit wildlifesos.org