My great-grandfather was a 'shikari' - a hunter. 

If his hunt was successful, he was paraded through the nearby village with garlands around his neck and a lifeless tiger as a trophy. My great-grandfather’s relationship with the animals he hunted changed when he realized tiger populations were crashing. Wildlife conservation, rather than hunting, became his focus. 

Wild Tiger's beginnings 

Today, I continue to work in India and follow in my family's footsteps by dedicating my career to conservation.  The first time I went inside an Indian forest was on a hunt, not with a gun, but with a camera trap.  The focus of this ‘hunt’ was to identify individual tigers from photos and estimate the tiger population size. I also spoke with people living in and around these forests to understand their interactions with the local wildlife and forest. My first experience with the forests and people in central India inspired me to start Wild Tiger. 

Our newsletter is the best way to stay updated with Wild Tiger's work to save India's Bengal tigers and their habitats. Click here to sign up. 

- Sarika Khanwilkar
Founder and Executive Director, Wild Tiger

Sign up for our newsletter to stay updated and engaged