The historical philosophy of wildlife conservation suggests that if humans and wildlife are separated, then wildlife will thrive.

Yet megadiverse countries, like India, which are highly populated, seem to contradict this idea.

While wildlife is imperilled in India, research is beginning to show that a physical and mental (perceived) disconnect from nature, such as through urbanisation, has insidious, deep-rooted and large-scale detrimental impacts on wildlife populations. Relative to this disconnect, the impacts of direct resource extraction by localised resource-dependent communities might be considered as marginal.

In this context, Dr Karnad’s research examines wildlife conservation in India’s marine realm. Specifically she examines how cultivating a closer relationship with nature through food can help achieve wildlife conservation goals. To this end, she focuses on how attention to detail when purchasing and eating seafood ingredients can produce the kinds of actions that we celebrate in wildlife conservation.

In this talk, Dr Divya Karnad, will dwell on her experience co-founding a sustainable seafood initiative, InSeason Fish, and how talking to diverse groups of people, about topics other than wildlife, can help bridge the gap between the economy and the conservation of threatened sharks in India.