At the Feet of Living Things

Have you wondered what it is like to follow hornbills in a dense rainforest? Or felt the pain of a mountain shepherd losing his sheep to a leopard? Or how it feels when a child discovers birdwatching is more exciting than being glued to a screen? The world of nature conservation is full of adventure, but it is also hard, fraught with challenges and setbacks, made worthwhile by the privilege of studying at the feet of living things. In this book, the scientists and researchers of the Nature Conservation Foundation describe how they grappled with conservation in India. Since 1996, they have wandered mountains, coral reefs, and forests to describe, document, protect and restore species and ecosystems. They have studied the lives of primates, snow leopards, hornbills, elephants, dugongs, fish, trees and other creatures. With local communities, they have experienced the sometimes-harsh reality of living with the wild side of nature. And they have strived to bring children and citizens to celebrate and learn about it. Each reflective and deeply personal narrative in this book goes behind the science to describe the challenges of conservation. At the Feet of Living Things will appeal to students, researchers, conservation practitioners, wildlife managers, nature enthusiasts and interested citizens.