Heart of Conservation

Lalitha Krishnan
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Society & Culture

Hi, I'm Lalitha Krishnan. I reconnect my fellow Indians to nature through storytelling and share everything I learn by entertaining, creating awareness, and bringing back the ‘awe’ of our natural world seamlessly. Listen to relevant conservation stories. This podcast comes to you from a hilltop in the Himalaya. Download for free and listen at leisure. Read transcripts on earthymatters.blog. Disclaimer:Views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the podcast and shownotes belong solely to the guest/guests featured in the episode, and not necessarily to the host of this podcast/blog or anyone else

  1. All About Ubuntu Dogs in the Himalaya Ep#40

    10/18/2025

    All About Ubuntu Dogs in the Himalaya Ep#40

    Buy The Stray Dogs of Landour Network: A True Story by a Failed Dog Trainer Book Online at Low Prices in India | The Stray Dogs of Landour Network: A True Story by a Failed Dog Trainer Reviews & Ratings - Amazon.in Happy Diwali. I’m Lalitha Krishnan, and you’re listening to Ep #40 of the Heart of Conservation podcast. I bring you stories from the wild that keep us all connected to our natural world.. Firstly, I need to apologise to my listeners as I have been missing from the podcast scene for a while. That’s because I have been working on my memoir. My first ever book, which I self-published earlier this year. It’s called the Stray Dogs of Landour Network. A true story by a Failed Dog Trainer. The Foreword is written by travel writer Bill Aitken. One of the many reasons I started podcasting is my insatiable curiosity and love for nature. And you will find this wild side of mine ever-present in my book. The setting in the story is a magical mixed forest in Landour, where the deodar and oaks vie for space with the rhodendrons and the kaphal. It is here where Pretty, a miserable wretch of a stray dog, appeared out of thin air. What are stray dogs doing in a forest, you ask? She and her pack live secret lives that slowly unravelled as I got to know them and the hillside caregivers better Pretty’s appearance was perfectly timed. I was going through a difficult spell physically, and the pandemic had more or paralysed our lives. My two mountain dogs had passed on. I was attending an online follow-up to a dog training course I had attended earlier. Then Pretty arrived and changed my life forever. Over a period of time, I gained her trust. We started training in earnest; she brought home her pup, and then, one by one, her pack. My training goals were soon overidden by a pack of dogs that came out of the woods like clockwork and giving me a whole lot more to do than I bargained for. They also had so much to share. They introduced me to the true meaning of Ubuntu: I am because we are, giving me insight into their social behaviour and intelligence. The action takes place in an international school campus where some of the caregivers spoke to their regular stray wards in their own languages. That wasn’t an issue at all for the bright mutts. They had it all figured out. They sniffed out the dog lovers from the haters, knew when to arrive or disappear and recognised the biggest succour on the block. Viz me. But I am happier for it. This is a story of forgiveness, resilience, survival and love. It's the perfect Diwali gift for a dog lover. Do grab yourself a copy if you are one. The Stray Dogs of Landour Network is available in e-format and print. In India, you can buy it from Pothi.com, Amazon and Flipkart. Also, check out the reviews on Amazon and add yours. You can also read up on a separate review and my article on my blog, Earthy Matters, in the ‘Published’ page. A heads up. I will be introducing my book to Bangalore on 23rd November at 4 pm at ‘Attagallata, the Bookstore’ in Indira Nagar. Do come if you can. I would love to meet you there. Bye for now.

    4 min
  2. Vikhar Ahmed Sayeed: Ethical Writing for Conservation Ep#39

    09/12/2024

    Vikhar Ahmed Sayeed: Ethical Writing for Conservation Ep#39

    I'm speaking with Vikhar Ahmed, an experienced journalist at Frontline magazine (India). We discuss some of his conservation-based articles that reflect his love for history as well as his unique understanding of the complexities of researching and writing about wildlife and human-related stories honestly. There is so much about Karnataka's conservation history that most folks wouldn't associate with the state. Have you heard of the Jim Corbett of the South? Do you know who also inspired current-day conservationist, Ullas Karanth? Find out about the factory that processed tigers, leopards, and elephants in the thousands. Listen to amazing insights about Jane Goodall and GerryMartin's simple solutions for snake bite prevention. Don't miss out. Show notes coming soon on my blog. Earthy Matters. #KennethAnderson #JaneGoodall #GerryMartin #UllassKaranth #JimCorbett  #SnakeHumanConflict #TigerConservation  #ElephantHumanConflict #StoriesfromtheWild #wildlifeconservation #WildlifeInstituteofIndia #MillionDeathStudy #India #Journalism #SnakeBiteDeath #NaturePodcast #KarnatakForestDepartment #Mysore #SouthIndia #Karnataka #CubbonPark #VanIngen #Taxidermy #AsianJournalismFellowship #TheManEaterofMalgudi #RKNarayan

    42 min
  3. Dr Dipankar Ghose on the Growing Illegal WildlifeTrade Ep#38

    08/14/2024

    Dr Dipankar Ghose on the Growing Illegal WildlifeTrade Ep#38

    In episode #38 I am speaking with Dipankar Ghose, Senior Director: Biodiversity Conservation at WWF-India, also Interim Head of TRAFFIC’s India Office. As a conservator with three decades in the field, he shares rare insights about the poaching of tigers to pangolins, to the exotic pet trade in India. Find out which technology is employed to fight the poaching of rhinos and how partner organisations fight wildlife trade. Discover the first line of defence and community efforts that deter poachers. Dipankar explains the Wildlife Trade Chain with the example of India’s most notorious: Sansar Chand and Veerappan. Find out what you can report a wildlife crime if you have witnessed it. There are so many more stories here… Listen. Show notes coming soon on #earthymattersblog #DipankarGhose #WWF_INDIA #TRAFFIC #IUCN #Tigers #Rhino #Poaching #IllegalWildlifeTrade #Veerappan #CITIES #WildlifeLawEnforcement   #ExoticPets #SAWEN #Pangolin #SansarChand #SmugglingSpecies #wildlifeproducts #exoticplants #rhinohorns #tigerskin #pangolinscales #LalithaKrishnan #HeartofConservation #critically_endangered #storiesfromthewild #podcast Pangolin photo:Rajesh Kumar Mohapatra Podcast cover art created by Lalitha Krishnan Disclaimer: Views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the podcast and show notes belong solely to the guest/guests featured in the episode, and not to the host of this podcast/blog or the guest’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

    34 min
  4. The Legacy of Technology for Wildlife Foundation: Ep #37

    06/28/2024

    The Legacy of Technology for Wildlife Foundation: Ep #37

    Hi I’m Lalitha Krishnan and you’re listening to #HeartofConservation. I bring you #storiesfromthewild that keep us all connected with the natural world. Experience the intersection of conservation and technology with Nandini Mehrotra from Technology for Wildlife Foundation, an NGO based out of Goa. Technology for Wildlife Foundation is the brainchild of Founder, #ShashankSrinivasan Discover how drones, ROVs, and spatial technology are revolutionizing wildlife conservation efforts. Dive into innovative projects like riverine wildlife studies and land restoration. Uncover the legacy of ethical and collaborative tech use for impactful grassroots action. Join me, as I delve into the incredible work and thoughtful approach of Technology for Wildlife Foundation. #conservationgeographer #robotoperator. #MResEcology #EnvironmentalManagement #UniversityofYork   #ConservationLeadership #Universityof Cambridge. #NationalGeographicExplorer #CheveningScholar #KinshipConservationFellow #MongabayIndia  #WWF #TerraConscious #GoaFoundation #HAI #BNHS #CurrentConservation #SanctuaryAsia #CoastalImpact #WildOtters #WCT #Dakshin #ScienceGallery #ATree #FishCurryandRice #Goa #Mapping #resortation #dolphinstudy

    29 min
  5. ReCircle: Creating a Circular Future with Waste Ep #36

    04/22/2024

    ReCircle: Creating a Circular Future with Waste Ep #36

    HI, I'm Lalitha Krishnan I bring you stories that connect us with the natural world. On Earth day especially, we can't ignore our reckless mis-mangement of waste. I’m speaking to two young, & amazing Clean Tech innovators, Rahul Nainani (Founder) and Gurashish Singh (Co-Founder & COO), at ReCircle, who converted bio-mining waste into a booming business. It’s not every day we hear of such success  stories for  positive  change. Listen to how they convert waste into a resource, rebranded waste workers by empowering them. How they have top brands on their side and create awareness creatively.

    34 min
  6. The Dynamics of Biodiversity in the Andamans with Nariman Vazifdar: Ep#35

    04/07/2024

    The Dynamics of Biodiversity in the Andamans with Nariman Vazifdar: Ep#35

    Hi, I’m speaking to the most passionate, naturalist/researcher/herpetologist-on-ground in the Andamans - Nariman Vazifdar. We discuss the biodiversity of the archipelago – which is mostly unexplored islands with individual unique species.  He speaks about the rainforest of the islands and he enlightens us about the hardwood Bullet wood tree and the Superior wood; and the historical connection involving British rule and the Japanese and their impact on the local indigenous tribes, flora and fauna. Nariman also speaks of invasive/introduced species like stray dogs which are now a threat to the local species like the turtles.  He tells us how animals from the mainland change their behaviour to survive in island habitats e.g. frogs trying to eat snakes rather than the other way around. He discusses the serious business of snake rescues including current dangerous trends and how to ethically release them. We also discuss his co-written book on Turtles, Tortoises and Terrapins post his sojourn with Turtle Survival Alliance. We talk about the impact of construction and lack of sustainable tourism on the ecology of the island the depletion of groundwater and the increase in garbage. Even if you don’t ever visit the islands, this episode with Nariman is a #mustlisten. #island_conservation #snake_rescue_release #island_ecology #island_biodiversity #king_cobra #turtles #terrapins #tortoises #author #naturalist #researcher #ecological_damage #reptiles #nariman_vazifdar #invasive_species #island #animal_behaviour #conservation #endemic_fauna  #endemic_flora #bronze_back #wolf_snake #research_papers #andamans #tribes #british #japanese #rainforests #development #littorial_forest #groundwater #heart_of_conservation #nature_podcast #stories_from_the_wild #earthymatters_blog

    43 min
  7. Plant and Tree Stories with Mallika Ravikumar and Nishanth Srinivas Ep#34

    09/25/2023

    Plant and Tree Stories with Mallika Ravikumar and Nishanth Srinivas Ep#34

    I am speaking with two plant and tree lovers, basically tree experts with extraordinary insights, botanical facts, myths, history, current issues and personal stories relating to four florae of their choice. My guest Mallika Ravikumar is a lawyer-turned-writer. She writes about history, culture and nature has authored over six books mostly for children. Nishanth Srinivas is based out of Shillong, and is working with an NGO called Conservation Initiatives. He specializes in satellite mapping and is interested in human–elephant interactions and landscape ecology. Show notes coming soon on my blog EarthyMatters

    55 min
  8. Barn Swallow-The Aerial Insectivore of the Himalayas: Dr Suresh Kumar & Amarjeet Kaur Ep #33

    08/16/2023

    Barn Swallow-The Aerial Insectivore of the Himalayas: Dr Suresh Kumar & Amarjeet Kaur Ep #33

    Show notes are now on earthymatters.blog In episode #33 I’m speaking to Dr Suresh Kumar, a remarkable wildlife biologist from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), who specializes in animal ecology, migration and movement studies, conservation biology. In his pursuit of wildlife conservation, he has discovered a new species of pheasant, studied macaques, used satellite telemetry to obverse the distribution of olive ridley turtles, tagged and followed the long-distance migration patterns of the Amur falcon, and mapped habitats of the Great Indian Bustard. My second guest is Amarjeet Kaur, Together they tell us about the first study of Barn swallows in India. Also at WII, Amarjeet, has worked on the migration and conservation of Amur Falcons in Nagaland and Manipur, and another long-distance migratory bird. Amarjeet is now completing her PhD on the first study of Barn swallows in India.

    49 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Hi, I'm Lalitha Krishnan. I reconnect my fellow Indians to nature through storytelling and share everything I learn by entertaining, creating awareness, and bringing back the ‘awe’ of our natural world seamlessly. Listen to relevant conservation stories. This podcast comes to you from a hilltop in the Himalaya. Download for free and listen at leisure. Read transcripts on earthymatters.blog. Disclaimer:Views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the podcast and shownotes belong solely to the guest/guests featured in the episode, and not necessarily to the host of this podcast/blog or anyone else

Information

  • Creator
    Lalitha Krishnan
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Lalitha Krishnan
  • Show Website
    Heart of Conservation