The biodiversity around
“Growing up in a small town of Assam, Bongaigaon, surrounded by nature and outdoor activities, instilled in me a passion for working with nature. It was while pursuing my Bachelor’s in Zoology, a professor from wildlife biology, encouraged me to pursue my career in wildlife and conservation. I worked on ungulates in Manas National Park for my Master’s dissertation in 2009 which marked my formal professional journey as a conservation biologist. I started working for an NGO which helped me gain experience and understand what I wanted to focus on during my PhD. This period also involved clearing entrance examinations and finding a supervisor whose work aligned with my interests. I formally registered for a PhD in 2014 at the Wildlife Institute of India.
My research focused on the habitat ecology of hog deer in the Manas National Park, with an emphasis on how these deer respond to different habitats and anthropogenic factors. I discovered that invasive plant species negatively impact hog deer survival by reducing forage and habitat availability. Though I absolutely loved the field work, it was particularly challenging to coordinate with domesticated elephants and forest officials for early morning surveys in tall grasslands where sightings were difficult. There were also initial misunderstandings with my supervisor as I was an external PhD student and was unable to visit the institute frequently. Over time, the relationship improved as he understood my stance of juggling a PhD and a full time job. Additional challenges came while writing my thesis, whose submission got delayed for a year due to the pandemic.
Looking back, I still think it was a blessed journey as I got to work in Manas National Park which was recovering from socio-political unrest and had the chance to witness its rich biodiversity and the people protecting it. People around me also supported me whole-heartedly, in addition to my family, which made my PhD even more rewarding.”
-Alolika Sinha, PhD in Wildlife Sciences, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun
Interviewed and written by Payel Das
