Vivek Menon talks about himself & wildlife, Recently Vivek Menon has been Interviewed By Explore Wild India‘s Editor Devesh Kumar.

 

How do you see India as Wildlife Country?

India is one of the richest countries in wildlife in the world. People think of Africa as a continent when you talk of wild animals or the Amazon when you talk of forests but India has 65 % of the wild tigers and Asian elephants, 85% of the Asian rhinos and 100% of the Asian lions besides 1300 bird species and an amazing landscape that spans the Himalayas to coral islands, rain forests to deserts. It is a magnificent heritage.

 

How do you see Dudhwa as a Wildlife Zone?

Dudhwa has a grand history of being a wonderful wild place on our Nepal border. It was the queen of the Terai when Billy Arian Singh gifted it to the Indian state. Today it has great human pressures, but nothing that a determined administration or a good officer cannot solve. In fact I am. Spending some days in Dudhwa in a week or so.

 

GHNP or Rajaji which one you will select to Photograph Wild Animals?

That depends so much on what you want to photograph. If it is wild goat or alpine birds or stunning landscapes it is GHNP; if it is elephants it is Rajaji.

 

What is your opinion about Indian Wildlife Conservation?

I think it has overall been a great success story despite human pressures governmental lack of will in many cases and the inexorable rise of economic activity. That shows the ethic of the people of India coupled with wisdom of the first leaders of the country.

 

Tell us about Your Book (Indian Mammals: A Field Guide)?

The Indian Mammals book has been done twice over. I first wrote a book called the Mammals of India for Dorling Kindersley and Penguin 15 years ago which sold over 10,000 copies and was translated into two languages. Then a few years ago I redid it completely covering all the species and taking identification upto sub specific level. This I did for Dorling Kinderley. As a companion I also brought out the Secret World of Indian Mammals for children. All of this has already sold three reprints and I am Now working on a Second Edition there will also be a pair of books for adultsand children on the Nature Reserves of India coming out next year.

 

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AUTHOR

Devesh Kumar is the Editor and Founder of Explore Wild India Magazine which is registered by Govt of India under RNI. He is the Wildlife Researcher too currently working on Red Panda Research Study under Explore Wild India Research Programme.

DEVESH KUMAR

EDITOR – EXPLORE WILD INDIA MAGAZINE | WILDLIFE RESEARCHER

Image © Vivek Menon Instagram

(www.instagram.com/vivek4wild)

 

Vivek Menon

ED & CEO, Wildlife Trust of India

SR Advisor to President IFAW

Chair ASESG IUCN SSC

 

Wildlife Trust of India

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