Shantanu is the director and project head of Habre's Nest, a wildlife travel enterprise on a mission to protect the red panda.
When COVID-19 put a halt to the stream of travellers who visit the far eastern Himalayas hoping to spot a red panda in the wild, one would imagine a blissful reprieve for the shy creatures.
“Actually, during the pandemic, poaching actually increased,” corrects photographer and conservationist Shantanu Prasad. “We can’t stop it all. We call the authorities. But they have weapons. We don’t.”
Each day, Shantanu and his team of rangers at Habre’s Nest patrol the Singalila Ridge, which straddles Nepal and India. Covering anything from 10 to 20km on foot each day, they watch out for poachers and record any sightings of red pandas, to contribute to research on these elusive animals.
But Habre’s Nest is more than just a beacon of community conservation — it is also a source of livelihoods, ensuring that some of the tourism dollars in this region benefit the local community. The rangers are also employed as hosts and guides to travellers, so that they can explore the region while minimising harm to the environment.
With travel back on the radar, Habre’s Nest hopes to see visitors again and channel funds back towards protecting the environment.
Though daily sightings are currently reported by the Habre’s Nest team, this writer did not spot one during my three-day visit in 2019 (visitors are advised to stay a week to allow for higher chances of a sighting).
But while my expectations were high, surprisingly, I was not crushed by not seeing one. Instead, I went home enlightened by what I learnt about the tireless rangers, and thrilled by the stunning surroundings of the Singalila Ridge, which is more than just second fiddle to its famous russet-furred resident.
Stretching from central Nepal to northwest Yunnan in China, the Eastern Himalayas thread through Sikkim (India), Bhutan, the Tibetan plateau and northern Myanmar along the way. Ardent trekkers come to Singalila Ridge to complete the 50km trek from the town of Maneybhanjang to Phalut, the second-highest peak in West Bengal, India (3,595m). Others make for Sandakphu, the highest peak at 3,636m.
But for less rugged travellers, the route is also renowned as a vantage point to take in four of the world’s five highest peaks: Everest (8,848m), Kangchenjunga (8,586m), Lhotse (8,516m) and Makalu (8,485m).
An Indo-Nepali project, Habre’s Nest’s focus is on the wildlife that call the Eastern Himalayas home — protecting them and encouraging local communities to take up the mantle of conservation.
“Tourists aren’t always aware or sensitive about the forested areas they trek through and the wildlife that abounds within,” shares Shantanu, Habre’s Nest’s director
From trails being too crowded, to hikers making too much noise and leaving trash behind in the forest, “unregulated tourism”, as Shantanu puts it, is one of the biggest challenges faced by Habre’s Nest.
Habre’s Nest, which derives its name from the Nepali word for red panda, was formed by Shantanu after he learnt about the species’ endangered status.
Globally, less than 10,000 remain in the wild, living in the trees in mountainous regions. In the area earmarked for conservation by Habre’s Nest, there are just 32. An estimated 86 per cent of red panda cubs die within a year of being born; human activity is the main threat to the species.
In Singalila, the red panda’s main threats are feral dogs which may carry rabies and other diseases, and the clearing of forested land for wood and agriculture.
After identifying feral dogs as a key threat to red pandas, Habre’s Nest began holding vaccination drives for dogs with the help of animal welfare organisations, targeting dogs that belong to households as well as strays from nearby towns that follow trekkers around.
As they got to know the local community better, they realised there was a lack of medical facilities in the area. So they set up free medical camps, fostering greater trust.
This was followed by outreach sessions to create awareness of the need to protect the environment. Villagers were invited to attend training to monitor wildlife and record sightings in a 100sqkm area. Those working in the tourism sector were offered training to become more sensitive to wildlife.
When it ventured into wildlife tourism, Habre’s Nest made sure to hire only locally, ensuring that benefits from tourism stay local. “While the red panda is our flagship animal, our intention is to protect the Eastern Himalayas,” says Shantanu, who was a photographer before he became a conservationist.
Preserving the unique environment and wildlife of the area would in turn benefit locals in the long run as sustainable tourism also sustains livelihood opportunities.
Catching sight of wildlife is a game of chance; after all, truly wild creatures do not show up on demand to delight travellers.
Habre’s Nest recommends staying at least seven nights for higher chances of a sighting. This includes factoring in the altitude’s unpredictable weather and a day of travel to Kaiakata, which is on the Nepal side of the ridge.
Guests do not take part in tracking red pandas; a walk to see the red pandas is only arranged when rangers spot one on patrols. Each visit lasts no more than 15 minutes.
In the meantime, guests can also spend their time at the bird hide on the premises. I was able to effortlessly pass a few hours here — clicking a few photographs every now and then of the avian company, so I could learn their names later from the in-house naturalist.
For hikers, short trek options to Kalipokhri, known for its lake with dark waters, and to Tumling, a renowned viewpoint of both Kanchenjunga and Everest, are options.
The Habre’s Nest team includes ex-poachers who now work as rangers, and double up as guides for guests, as well as manage the kitchen and homestays. Mohan Thami, a ranger at Habre’s Nest, shares, “Before, the means for livelihood were threadbare so people would set traps and poach. Today there’s awareness and a change in behaviour.”
“As trackers, we do our bit to sensitise villagers. After all, it’s because of the red panda and the training that Kaiakata has gotten visibility and sees tourists from all over the globe.”
Mohan Thami Ranger, Habre's Nest
Currently there are 11 full-time and nine part-time staff. Habre’s Nest’s lodge comprises four rooms, which can house a total of eight to 10 guests. Twenty per cent of the profits are directed towards its conservation efforts, such as local outreach on forest protection.
Shantanu notes that a comprehensive census for red pandas is currently underway, with photograph-based evidence being shared with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
“Our goal is to assign this area the status of a red panda reserve – which would aid with conservation while continuing to track and document red pandas while hosting tourists who might be inspired to do something to protect the red pandas,” he shares.
“We want to continue working with government authorities towards improved regulation within and around the national park to minimise and eventually eliminate the harm being caused by unregulated tourism.”
I want to visit Habre's Nest
At the time of publishing this story, COVID-19 cases globally continue to rise, and international travel — even domestic travel in some cases — has been restricted for public health reasons. During this time, consider exploring the world differently: discover new ways you can support communities in your favourite destinations, and bookmark them for future trips when borders reopen.
Mohan is a tracker at Habre's Nest, a wildlife travel enterprise on a mission to protect the red panda.
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The sprawling Thar is home to diverse wildlife — and a friendly sustainable tourism community. Discover a desert that's anything but desolate.
‘A LIVING DESERT’
“Ours is a village of about 30 families. Our houses will look alike to you. We make them from local vegetation,” our guide told us.
Vegetation? We were in the desert. Everywhere around me was thorny leafless shrubs and needle-leaf trees, and I found myself wondering how anything could be made from them.
I grew up thinking that deserts are incapable of sustaining life. To my “imaginative” traveller brain, deserts were about vast dunes that make for postcard-perfect photos, at best.
In Thar, a desert in the northwestern state of Rajasthan that covers 10 per cent of India, I was soundly proven wrong.
My host Gemar Singh, or Gemar ji as we called him, loves to emphasise that the Thar, the 17th largest desert in the world, is a “living desert”. The chinkara (an Indian gazelle), the nilgai (sometimes called the blue bull) and the grey shrike (a type of songbird) are among the wildlife one can spot amid a landscape of roheda ( a type of desert teak) and tart ker berries.
The desert is also home to communities of camel herders by descent and tradition, who can even track lost camels based on their hoof prints. These communities have carved out a life in the sand, such as by using easy-to-ignore vegetation that can be used to construct homes, or have medicinal value.
And on the fringe of the Thar, you will find Hacra Dhani, an eco-friendly travel enterprise founded by Gemar ji.
THE SIMPLE LIFE
While desert tourism has taken off in Rajasthan, particularly around the city of Jaisalmer, few make their way to Osian (sometimes spelt Osiyan), an oasis town 85km away from the famed blue city of Jodhpur.
Just outside of Osian, Gemar ji (ji is a Hindi honorific) has created a base for intrepid travellers to experience the desert lifestyle in an authentic and sustainable way.
Hacra’s Jhumpa guest huts are built traditional desert-style, using mud and sandstone slabs and topped with a thatched roof. There is no electricity, running water, or en-suite bathrooms. Guests are provided with solar lamps in the evenings. Guests can also opt for overnight desert camping.
Not feeling quite so adventurous? Hacra can arrange for glamping stays with spacious bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms.
During your stay, you can go on safaris and camel rides to spot wildlife. But Hacra is less about packing in a list of must-dos, and more about a chance to wind down and catch your breath, especially if you have been travelling around the country.
It is also an opportunity to get to learn about desert life. The community walk organised by Hacra is an insight into the lives of rural Rajasthani communities, which includes the Rajputs and the Bishnois — the latter being an indigenous community and sect under Hinduism, known for being fierce protectors of nature.
Walking in the village, you will see how three generations of a family live together, and how some of them have built a separate room for guests. Most have an in-house granary to store millets and pulse which they cultivate themselves, and an area for livestock, reflecting the importance of subsistence farming to the community.
You also see the houses that inspired Hacra’s jhumpa huts and how they are naturally eco-friendly — the mud walls keep the indoors cool during the harsh scorching summers of Rajasthan and warm during winters, reducing the reliance on cooling and heating systems.
Babulal ji — a 70-year old jovial gentleman from the Bishnoi community (pictured above) — is also a guide with Hacra. Dressed in his traditional all-white attire, he regaled us with tales, including that of his travels to Libya in the early 1980s.
When quizzed about what changes he has seen within his community over the years, Babulal ji affirmed that life is not as harsh as it used to be. Cultural norms are relatively relaxed and survival of livestock is no longer a matter of life and death, thanks to improved infrastructure and the introduction of farming techniques that allow for more types of crops to be planted.
AGAINST ALL ODDS
From one man’s vision, Hacra is now a team of four guides, several camel breeder-herders, as well as kitchen and housekeeping staff.
“When I decided to start this eco-stay, our village had neither roads nor electricity,” recalls Gemar ji. “I would travel to and from Jodhpur just to be able to access the internet. It was only much later that I bought a secondhand laptop from a Swiss traveller who had become a friend on their third visit here, and installed a solar panel to power it.”
Initially, Gemar ji conceived of Hacra to create viable income for the desert communities, but as travellers began trickling in, so did new ideas.
He learnt about the world of responsible travel from a traveller from Europe, who had asked about Hacra’s practices. “Tourists have come and shared their perspectives as well as questions, which I have channelled back into making the enterprise more relevant to its times.
“I simply knew I wanted to stay local and keep the operations local. I learnt about responsible travel only in 2007 — and have continued to keep myself up to date to the best of my ability.”
To stay true to its local flavour, Gemar ji has had to engage with the local community to put to rest their fears of their houses and lands being snatched away by outsiders masquerading as tourists. This extends to the rest of the Hacra team, who share with the villagers their interactions with tourists.
And over time, the Hacra team have also become more comfortable in requesting that guests respect local traditions and lifestyles, and adapt to Hacra’s practices.
“We realise now the importance of stating to them what the local context is and what they would also be required to comply with when they are here – such as the culture, their clothing, the food, the overall ambience,” says Gemar ji. Respecting the places one travels to, he adds, is part of being a traveller.
At the end of my two-day trip, I left very much humbled by what the desert ecosystem has to offer. Life abounds here, and if Gemar ji and his team have it their way, it will continue to thrive, regardless of what modern life brings.
Hacra Dhani is a local-owned desert travel social enterprise in a rural corner of Rajasthan specialising in authentic and sustainable experiences guided by the local community.
Hacra Dhani is a local-owned desert travel social enterprise in a rural corner of Rajasthan specialising in authentic and sustainable experiences guided by the local community.
Visit Mangalajodi Ecotourism Trust
After years of poaching, it didn’t look good for the birds in Mangalajodi. Then locals, realising the harm of their actions, reversed course. Let Mangalajodi Ecotourism Trust show you how they brought the birds back to this wetlands paradise — and travellers with them.
Meet Subhash
“When we didn’t know better, we’d kill and eat bird meat. On some occasions, we sold it to earn some money,” says Subhash Behera, a fisherman.
Two decades earlier, sentiments like Subhash’s were not unusual. Thanks to poaching, Mangalajodi’s bird population had dwindled to 5,000.
But today, Mangalajodi is a village transformed. Locals proudly show off the rich biodiversity of the area, and virtually all of them can rattle off the names of every bird species there in English, despite the language being foreign to them.
And every year, from October to March, the sleepy village is transformed by a flurry of activity.
Coming from as far as Siberia and Mongolia, migratory birds make Mangalajodi’s Chilika Lake — the second largest coastal lagoon in the world — their temporary haven. In turn, they draw flocks of passionate bird-watchers.
Hitting bottom, rising up
Mangalajodi, located in the state of Odisha, entered the spotlight in the 1990s when environmentalists began sounding the alarm over the plummeting native and migratory bird population numbers.
Then, fishermen like Subhash thought nothing of eating the various birds that had somehow gotten entangled in their nets. Others poached the birds, in the hopes of selling them for money.
A solution was desperately needed, and it wasn’t long before eco-tourism emerged as the prime candidate: perched on the edge of the serene Chilika Lake and its vast wetlands of swaying reeds, Mangalajodi is perfectly situated as a base for bird-lovers.
Thus, Mangalajodi Ecotourism Trust (MET) was established in 2010, uniting various ongoing efforts in the area into a community-managed and community-owned enterprise.
Guided by RBS Foundation India and its implementing partner Indian Grameen Services (IGS), MET succeeded by placing locals like Subhash at the front and centre of its efforts.
“The phenomenal knowledge of birdlife that the community had, was seen as a skill that an enterprise could use,” says Abhinav Sen from RBS Foundation, who helps manage the programme with the villagers.
Interested members of the fishing community have been trained as boatmen — including Subhash — while former poachers who once used their keen eyes and ears to hunt for the birds, now use them to complement their new roles as guides.
All bookings are made through the Trust and every member is paid their fee on a per diem basis, depending on the type of services delivered (e.g. Rs300 per boat ride).
The Trust runs also four earth-friendly cottages and one dormitory for large groups, and can accommodate up to 25 to 30 people at a time. Meals comprise items sourced from local fisherfolk and farmers.
Once down to just a few thousand, today, the bird population has rebounded to 300,000 at its peak.
A day in birder’s paradise
Armed with only oars and binoculars to help them spot as well as identify birds, the boatmen and guides are the eyes and ears of the guests, as they accompany them into the wetlands.
During bird-watching season, a typical day starts with an early morning boat ride where guests spend around two-and-a-half hours on a boat, quietly lapping through the waters to spot birds like glossy ibises, swamphens and godwits.
After breaking for lunch, one can relax for the day, before heading out in the evening to spot more prized birds, while being embraced in a glorious sunset.
“It feels good to have people come visit our village and stay here for a couple of days. It is a matter of pride and honour for us,” says Purna Chandra Behera, a guide.
One of the first to take to guiding, Purna Chandra was sent for training at the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management in Bhubaneshwar, after he joined MET.
He now works as a guide during bird-watching season. “Today, my son, who is also a guide, has attended the same training programme and has been taught by my teacher,” he shares with pride.
Adds Subhash, now a boatman and conservationist: “It’s because of these birds that people from different parts of the country, and even the world, come to stay in our tiny village.
“In turn, this helps us earn a better income for five to six months of the year and take better care of our families.”
Looking at the future
Awarded “Innovation in Tourism Enterprise” at the United Nations World Tourism Organization Awards in Spain in 2018, MET is gaining traction.
Recognition has brought visibility and in turn an increase in not just the number of tourists, but also the number of stakeholders: governmental, corporate and individuals.
Purna Chandra, for example, has been seeing more boatmen ferrying travellers around, although they are not part of the trust.
But as they reap benefits from the tourism boom, MET is also asking itself: how much is too much?
“At an operational level, it means understanding how many boating trips can be offered per day without crowding Chilika and disturbing the birds in their habitat. It also means identifying ways in which we can accommodate tourists,” says Sanjib K Sarangi from IGS, who has been advising MET.
A village that rose to infamy as one of bird poachers has managed to rewrite its narrative, and demonstrate the power of collective action and reform.
Now it must decide how to chart its course, as it straddles the dilemma of economics and ecology.
