Our lab is coordinating the activities of the KFRI-Wildlife Museum, which is a major attraction at KFRI. The specimens and other collections at the museum is used for graduate and undergraduate training, species identification workshops and educational programs by state and local agencies. Conservation education and training to students and the inservice training to the officials of forests departments across the country are major activities of the museum. See instructions for visitors.

Direct human killing has been identified as an important cause of population decline in snakes. Majority of such malicious kills of snakes occur in the rural areas because the envenomings and deaths resulting from snake bites are a particularly important public health problem throughout the rural tropics. India tops in the number of deaths due to snakebite in the world with nearly 11,000 estimated deaths annually. The fear and resentment arose from the high mortality rates due to snake-bites resulting from the malicious killing of several non-venomous snakes on sight throughout the region. However, relatively little attention has been devoted to understanding the patterns of the direct killing and impact of such mortality on the natural population of snakes.

Earlier our team was running a citizen science initiative including a public education programme with the aim to understand the patterns of snake kills and to mitigate the malicious killing of non-venomous snakes especially the wolf Snakes which mimic the Common Indian Krait in south India. The present programme SnakeSense aims to reduce the conflicts by imparting knowledge on the venomous species, preventive measures and management of snake bites in Kerala, south India. Apart from improving the public attitude towards the conservation of snakes, we also aim to understand the patterns of snake mortality in the region. As part of this programme, we regularly assess the knowledge, attitude and perceptions of the public towards snakes and conduct workshops to improve knowledge on snakes.

Bats are the second most speciose order of mammals. They play a crucial role in the pollination and seed dispersal of several plants of commercial and ecological value, aiding in forest regeneration. Unfortunately, bats are often portrayed as villains in stories and movies, and recent outbreaks of Nipah and Covid-19 have further increased fear and led to habitat destruction for bats. Anthropogenic factors such as habitat loss, deforestation, poaching, meat trade, environmental pollution, wind turbines, climate change, and biological invasions have caused bat populations to decline worldwide. Due to their low reproductive rates, gregarious lifestyles, and high metabolic rates, most bat species cannot withstand anthropogenic pressures. Moreover, we have insufficient knowledge about even the most prevalent bat species, including their population status, microhabitats, and reproductive and living habits. This knowledge gap presents challenges for the government, scientists, and law enforcement in comprehending the threats bats face and implementing appropriate protection measures. Bat for Bats aims to create awareness among students and the general public on the role that bats play in our daily lives and to dispel myths about these flying mammals through awareness programmes and social media.

Write to us if you are interested in conducting an awareness programme on snakes or bats in your institution (schools, colleges) or other networks (clubs, libraries, residence associations, etc).

Write to us if you are technologist or educator interested in developing projects / tools using digital technologies for stakeholder engagement and nature conservation.