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how to take one’s PASSION for animals, forests, wilderness, conservation, etc forward into profession and life?
Here are some resources to explore:
- For all age groups:
- Bird watching – Most cities have bird-watching groups that do free walks
- iNaturalist to spot, document biodiversity around us
- Nature walks/Tree walks in your city conducted by multiple organizations (Diversify the walk to get different exposure- like turtle walk @ chennai, Ant walk @bangalore, helping at western ghats!)
- Volunteer with local zoos. Check your zoo if they run a program for volunteers. Some zoos across India does
- Volunteer with CUPA/ Blue cross like organizations if interested in PETS/ domestic
- Attend a naturalist training program
- Visit, stay in nearby forests, and go for a safari (lot of assumptions about zoos will be cleared with this)
- Least, go around a wild place close to your home to understand what is it like being in the wild
2. For sligher older age groups (teenagers + )
- Volunteer with a NGO working on wildlife that rescues and rehabilitate them (Wildlife SOS, WRRC in Bangalore for instance, madras crocodile bank). They take only those who demonstrate an interest
- Volunteer to participate in census/surveys done by Forest department
- Volunteer as assistant for surveys within city or outside
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3. Volunteer with conservation ngos (on forest, people, wildlife)
- Atree, NCF, Forest first samithi, Keystone foundation etc to name few
- Enroll for some certificate courses in conservation/wildlife (Wildlife Institute India offers 15 day course, Nat geo has some basic courses online to quote some)