Women in the Wild book review: A celebration of the journeys of Indian women wildlife biologists

The leopard, christened Ajoba, soon became a household name and also the inspiration for a movie. As for Athreya, those days were just like any other, attending to fieldwork in the outdoors. Only this time around, her tireless efforts to tackle man-animal conflict were finally in focus.

It was one of those rare occasions when a wildlife ecologist’s work was spoken of frequently in the mainstream. Most times, these are invisible figures who operate silently in a tranquil world of their own, far from civilization. Their intent is to understand nature better and thereby conserve these habitats and the species that dwell there. It means spending plenty of time out in the wild and in solitude, enjoying the company of the surroundings instead.

This sounds like a dream job, though it comes with its fair share of challenges to say the least - an enchanting experience fraught with discomfort of all kinds. Then, when you’re a woman working in the field, things only get more complex.

Anita Mani’s Women in the Wild unravels the life and work of a few stalwarts from this tribe, united by a gritty resolve to chase their calling despite the odds. What keeps them going is the discovery of magic in nature and the motivation to keep it alive, in spite of conservation being an uphill battle in India where rules are routinely bent.

The first generation of these women made it clear that they would stop at nothing to be considered as equals to their male counterparts. Jamal Ara hailed from a conservative Muslim family and set out on an untrodden path to become a self-taught ornithologist, even digging into her savings to conduct research. J Vijaya made a riverside cave her home for many months and worked alongside locals from the Kadar tribe in order to study the forest cane turtle.

These women showed that they could go where men would and do the things that men could. But time and again, the discussions were around their gender rather than their work.

It’s what a few from subsequent generations continue to experience even today. From eve teasing in public to men refusing to work under their orders, these women have had to be patient and persistent with their efforts. And more importantly, take charge of their own safety. Besides, field work in conservation often requires interfering in community affairs, which means stirring a hornet’s nest and dealing with angry locals. Far worse is the prejudice experienced at the hands of their male colleagues, where words of caution frequently double up as discouragement.

These are deterrents that most have repeatedly faced, yet taken in their stride. For, what they experience outside of these predicaments makes it worth their time. The little victories are celebrated momentarily, before looking at the bigger picture again and getting on with the job of putting together their findings, applying for grants to fund their research further and educating the next generation on the importance of preserving nature.

The perks of the job are the opportunities to explore virgin terrain in remote places. Nandini Velho has been at ease walking through the dense jungles of Arunachal Pradesh while working alongside the local community; the likes of Ghazala Shahabuddin and Usha Ganguli-Lachungpa have thrived at altitude.

Ara, the first Birdwoman of India, was a single mother; Ganguli-Lachungpa had to stay away from her toddler for months while pursuing postgraduate studies. But at home or in the field, excellence is a constant. For their contribution, a few have had species named in their honour, while others continue to operate patiently, aware that their persistence will eventually make a difference.

The diversity in nature has made this a constantly evolving field, where a few women continue to be at the forefront. Through the study of animal scat, molecular ecologist Uma Ramakrishnan has unravelled a whole new world of genetics and biogeography studies that has been vital in the tiger conservation effort. Dhanusha Kawalkar has visited places that few have gone before to document cave-dwelling species as part of her bio-speleology research. And through the study of bird calls, Pooja Choksi has been able to use bioacoustics to understand ecological restoration.

Besides documenting these incredible lives, the book brings to light little -known facets of various species such as the homing instincts of translocated leopards, the hatching trigger for turtle eggs and about Bihar’s very own neelakurinji flowers. For those unaware of this world, it’s also a good place to start learning about the varied research being conducted in different pockets of the country today.

But the intriguing essays are essentially a celebration of the journeys that these women have taken. They paint an intimate portrait by weaving together their personal and professional lives through the eyes of journalists and conservationists who’ve been inspired by them. Besides shedding light on their enchanting world, it also addresses the often ignored, yet real issue of sexism in the field of wildlife conservation. And despite all the hurdles, a few of them have smashed the glass ceiling and motivated the next generation to chase excellence.