FROM TIGER TAIL TO ZEBRA STRIPES
First time I met Siva was in front of the Marina Grills hotel at Nyanuki. Till he arrived in his green colour Land Cruiser, I had no idea how he looked. We had exchanged mails and spoken over telephone before I reached there.
All I knew about Siva Sundaresan was that he had worked on tigers at Nagarahole National Park in Karnataka. That was way back in 1999, before he left for US to do his PhD in Wildlife Biology. The common interest between the two of us was wildlife and the linking point betwen us was noted wildlife biologist from Bangaore, India, Dr Ullas Karanth.
Once we met, Siva spoke to me as if we were pals for decades. Friendly and hospitable, Siva had made arrangements for me to stay at the Mpala Research Centre. As we started driving towards Mpala, Siva had opened up a new world to me on Lipikia district.
What I realised was Siva had come a long way in wildlife conservation and research. Today, he is one of the 14 members of the Grevy’s Zebra Technical Committee, an advisory committee to the Kenya government on conservation of Grevy’s Zebra.
Born and brought up in Chennai, India, Siva started his wildlife related activities when he was doing his under graduation at Pilani in Rajastan. He was doing summer camps in wildlife areas with Ranjit Daniel and Prof. Raman Sukumar of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, who is doing a research on Asiatic elephants.
After completing his graduation, he wrote to Ullas Karanth that he wanted to work with him. He got a call and immediately joined Karanth’s research team, which was involved in camera trapping of tigers.
In 1999, Karanth asked Siva to enrol himself for a PhD project and he left to Princeton University, US. During his PhD, he came to Kenya for his thesis, which was on Zebras. He also worked on wild asses in the Kutch area of Rajastan. After his PhD, he got the post-doctoral work in Kenya itself and started working around Mpala.
Siva’s wife Corinna is an American and her father is of Greek origin. A friendly girl, Corinna is also working on community participation in conservation at Mpala.
Grevy’s zebra is named after the French President, who first sponsored a study tour of the area on wildlife. The main study of Siva is on effect of lions on Grevy’s zebra in the ecosystem.
Apart from research, there is a lot of conservation work Siva is doing around. ``There are many groups, which are interested in conservation in this area. We have formed a working group of these interest groups. Even formation of the committee is a result of these working groups,’’ Siva explained.
Over the years, Siva seems to have got involved with Likipia district. He goes on explaining the landscape, wildlife, problems and conservation of the area. Though his post doctor period is ending in a year, he is unlikely to move out of the place. His hands are full and he has his students doing a lion project in way up after Lake Baringo. He is trying to radio collar a lion or two in that area and later some Grevy’s zebra near Mpala. He has rented a house and it is doubtful that he can own one. The law does not permit foreigners to own rural lands.
Siva is bothered about the multi-dimensional problems in Lipikia district. But, he is optimistic of conservation in the area. ``The land erosion cause worries about the future of the area. On a positive side to it, I think we can make wildlife earn some money for the welfare of the people. In that case, conservation is not impossible,’’ he said.
``The main prob
lem in the livestock is goat and sheep. The cattle are not a problem, as the number of cattle is not going up. Though it goes up, Kenya is known for its droughts, which will wipe out the entire population. It gives sometime for the cattle to recoup. But, the sheep here survives all conditions and the people are getting more sheep, which can earn cash component in the market. This is the main problem that has to be tackled in this region,’’ he added.
Mpala
12-12-2008
First time I met Siva was in front of the Marina Grills hotel at Nyanuki. Till he arrived in his green colour Land Cruiser, I had no idea how he looked. We had exchanged mails and spoken over telephone before I reached there.
All I knew about Siva Sundaresan was that he had worked on tigers at Nagarahole National Park in Karnataka. That was way back in 1999, before he left for US to do his PhD in Wildlife Biology. The common interest between the two of us was wildlife and the linking point betwen us was noted wildlife biologist from Bangaore, India, Dr Ullas Karanth.
Once we met, Siva spoke to me as if we were pals for decades. Friendly and hospitable, Siva had made arrangements for me to stay at the Mpala Research Centre. As we started driving towards Mpala, Siva had opened up a new world to me on Lipikia district.
What I realised was Siva had come a long way in wildlife conservation and research. Today, he is one of the 14 members of the Grevy’s Zebra Technical Committee, an advisory committee to the Kenya government on conservation of Grevy’s Zebra.
Born and brought up in Chennai, India, Siva started his wildlife related activities when he was doing his under graduation at Pilani in Rajastan. He was doing summer camps in wildlife areas with Ranjit Daniel and Prof. Raman Sukumar of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, who is doing a research on Asiatic elephants.
After completing his graduation, he wrote to Ullas Karanth that he wanted to work with him. He got a call and immediately joined Karanth’s research team, which was involved in camera trapping of tigers.
In 1999, Karanth asked Siva to enrol himself for a PhD project and he left to Princeton University, US. During his PhD, he came to Kenya for his thesis, which was on Zebras. He also worked on wild asses in the Kutch area of Rajastan. After his PhD, he got the post-doctoral work in Kenya itself and started working around Mpala.
Siva’s wife Corinna is an American and her father is of Greek origin. A friendly girl, Corinna is also working on community participation in conservation at Mpala.
Grevy’s zebra is named after the French President, who first sponsored a study tour of the area on wildlife. The main study of Siva is on effect of lions on Grevy’s zebra in the ecosystem.
Apart from research, there is a lot of conservation work Siva is doing around. ``There are many groups, which are interested in conservation in this area. We have formed a working group of these interest groups. Even formation of the committee is a result of these working groups,’’ Siva explained.
Over the years, Siva seems to have got involved with Likipia district. He goes on explaining the landscape, wildlife, problems and conservation of the area. Though his post doctor period is ending in a year, he is unlikely to move out of the place. His hands are full and he has his students doing a lion project in way up after Lake Baringo. He is trying to radio collar a lion or two in that area and later some Grevy’s zebra near Mpala. He has rented a house and it is doubtful that he can own one. The law does not permit foreigners to own rural lands.
Siva is bothered about the multi-dimensional problems in Lipikia district. But, he is optimistic of conservation in the area. ``The land erosion cause worries about the future of the area. On a positive side to it, I think we can make wildlife earn some money for the welfare of the people. In that case, conservation is not impossible,’’ he said.
``The main prob
lem in the livestock is goat and sheep. The cattle are not a problem, as the number of cattle is not going up. Though it goes up, Kenya is known for its droughts, which will wipe out the entire population. It gives sometime for the cattle to recoup. But, the sheep here survives all conditions and the people are getting more sheep, which can earn cash component in the market. This is the main problem that has to be tackled in this region,’’ he added.Mpala
12-12-2008
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