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Gadgil and His Legacy: Conservation Rooted in Human Life
9 Jan
Summary
- Madhav Gadgil advocates for human safety in conservation.
- He supports regulated hunting for overpopulated wildlife.
- Gadgil wants science accessible in local languages.
Ecologist Madhav Gadgil emphasizes that environmental conservation must center on human well-being and community rights, particularly for those living in and around forests. He has long promoted a decentralized, community-driven approach to wildlife governance, advocating for regulated hunting where animal populations pose a threat to human safety and dignity.
Gadgil has been a vocal critic of existing wildlife protection laws, arguing they sometimes place animals above people. He proposes local communities be empowered to manage wildlife, drawing parallels with Scandinavian countries that practice sustainable harvesting of animal populations. This approach aims to prevent human-wildlife conflict proactively rather than reactively.
Furthermore, Gadgil is committed to democratizing science by communicating ecological concepts in regional languages, ensuring knowledge benefits ordinary people. His work, including extensive writing in Marathi, aims to bridge the gap between academic science and the public, preserving and sharing local ecological wisdom.
