Scholarship / I want to bring awareness of wildlife conservation. Commonwealth Scholarships - Personal Statement [4]

Personal Statement

As a kid, I loved watching TV channels that showcased the phenomenal visuals of wildlife. During that time, I didn't realise the threats the wildlife was facing and how rapidly the world is on the verge of losing some of the most crucial species.

As I grew up and opted for zoology in my bachelor's degree, fieldwork and course study gave me a better understanding of nature. I developed a liking for birding which now has become a hobby. I travelled to various scenic places in my country which brought me serenity and I have come to realise the paramount importance of the need to protect nature. Industrialisation, climate change, global warming, and illegal wildlife practices have become major threats to nature which will eventually lead to an imbalance in the world if not controlled now.

My passion for wildlife conservation emanates from the curiosity I have to know about the various facets of wildlife and the want to conserve it. I recently completed my internship in the pygmy hog conservation programme(PHCP) in Manas National Park. I understood the laudable efforts of wildlife conservationists and the local community in bringing the species back from the brink of extinction. This showed me how fostering community-based conservation and raising awareness is important. I have been on wildlife safaris and watched different species in their natural habitat. During my internship, I found another way to watch them though. I started running in the morning when I got to see majestic elephants near the park's border, a one-horned rhinoceros mother with her calf and countless birds. Such experiences kindle my passion for conservation even more.

I want to do my masters in the field of wildlife conservation so that I can make a substantial difference in this field. I want to increase my field skills, learn from different wildlife conservationists and gain skills for my long-term career goals. To date, poaching of the horns of the one-horned rhinoceros is being carried out in my state i.e. Assam, although the occurrences have reduced. Science has provided us with important and reliable data that can be used for wildlife conservation and combating unlawful wildlife practices like poaching, for example, artificial Intelligence is increasingly used for this. I wish to develop my skills while I learn different methods and strategies for the proper implementation of conservation during my studies.

I want to bring awareness of wildlife conservation and sustainable living among the general public and advocate for change.