Wild Surakshe

Expanding public health and safety awareness on wildlife related diseases.

Enabling people and communities to safeguard their lives and livelihood. 

Empowering collaborations and partnerships across the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats

In a rapidly changing world, there is an emerging focus on the increasingly visible connections among the well-being of people, wildlife, and ecosystems. For 40 years, understanding these interrelationships between wildlife and people has guided our research and conservation efforts at the Centre for Wildlife Studies.

Infections that emerge from wild animals, spread to domestic animals and ultimately to humans are zoonotic in nature. Almost 75% of the emerging diseases in the 21st century are from wild animal reservoirs and have spread to people. Scientific research has established that human actions cause spillovers of diseases into human populations. Due to the complicated interplay of human-livestock-wildlife transmission, the World Health Organization has surmised that the prediction of the emergence or re-emergence of zoonotic diseases is a critical need. Therefore, rapid detection and response to novel and existing infections such as COVID-19, Anthrax, Nipah, Kyasanur Forest Disease, Rabies, Leptospirosis and Scrub Typhus are key in managing these outbreaks. India’s remaining wilderness consists of a highly disjointed network of wildlife reserves and other unprotected habitats that are often interspersed with densely populated human settlements and domestic animals.

Wild Surakshe addresses the potential impact of proximity to wild spaces on communities engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry, trade, and travel. Operating in eight states across 100 wildlife reserves in the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats, the program launched in September 2020. It focuses on public health and training workshops targeting wildlife diseases, human-wildlife conflict, hunting and wildlife trade.

The inclusive workshops provide a safe platform for diverse participants to address challenges related to infectious wildlife diseases and conflict situations. The program aims to establish a network of community leaders and frontline responders, fostering partnerships with local government departments such as rural development, forest, education, and primary healthcare centers. From September 2020 to March 2023, Wild Surakshe conducted over 1000 workshops in the Western Ghats. In 2024, we expanded to the Eastern Ghats.