Daily Dose of Nature | Asia & the Pacific Webinars

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Realm of the Snow Leopard: India’s Cold Deserts

Originally presented October 19, 2020
Deserts are always deceptively full of life, and India’s high-altitude trans-Himalayan landscape are no exception. At an average elevation of 12,000 feet above sea level, this is an austere and rocky landscape at first glance. But there is much here not readily apparent to the eye. A multi-layered network of habitat, species and weather patterns, each element plays a role in creating the ideal conditions for the existence of big cats in this seemingly inhospitable terrain. Join Expedition Leader Surya Ramachandran for a deeper look into the wild expanse of India’s high mountain deserts.

The Ultimate Guide to Packing for a Day Hike

Originally presented October 16, 2020
Expedition Leader Jeremy Covert has backcountry packing practically down to a science. Over the course of his 20-plus-year career as a outdoor educator and adventure guide. In this webinar, against a backdrop of stories from the trail, Jeremy discusses his essential travel gear for day hiking, and how he arranges his bag, as well as his camera equipment bag. He’ll cover clothing, optics for animal viewing, safety gear, how to transport food, and essential camera gear for any level of photographer, while sharing a few stories illustrated with his photos. Join us to get tips from a true expert!

Intriguing Tales of India’s Beautiful Birds

Originally presented October 8, 2020
When it comes to India’s wildlife, it may be best known for its Bengal tigers...but this vast country with a tremendous variety of habitats is home to myriad other animals, including more than 1,300 bird species. Expedition Leader Surya Ramachandran is a bird expert, and he takes us into the fascinating world of India’s endemics, residents and migrants. Surya shares the captivating interrelationships between birds and flora, insects, reptiles and mammals, including the humans of the subcontinent. From black ibis to bee eaters, India’s birds are intriguing—join us to find out much more!

The Heart of India: Tiger Territory

Originally presented September 10, 2020
In this webinar series, Annie Van Dinther interviews Expedition Leaders from around the world to discover the heart of the places they love and call home. Her quest is to take you on a journey with our guides, via stories and photographs, that leaves you feeling like you’ve been there. In this episode, Aditya Panda takes us deep into the Central India Tiger Landscape, his primary focus as conservationist and naturalist guide. Join Aditya to explore the last great subcontinent-wide tiger landscape that is literally in the heart of India. Spanning eight states, the Central India Tiger Landscape is home to more than a third of India's tigers, maintaining a high level of connectivity through wildlife corridors.

Magnificent Beasts of India

Originally presented August 28, 2020
The Terai is a little-known lowland region of the Indian subcontinent bordering India, Nepal and parts of Bhutan. Tall grasslands, evergreen sal forests, scrub savanna and clay-rich swamps have been home to a sparse human population for millennia, but it’s the resident wildlife that has always been dominant here. Join Expedition Leader Conan Duminel, born and raised in South India, for this fascinating exploration of the wetland expanse at the base of the Himalayas, often overlooked by visitors only intent on mountains. Conan will fill us in on the pressures from human expansion, as more encroachment into the jungle lowlands of the Terai poses conservation challenges.

India’s Small Wild Cats

Originally presented August 21, 2020
When people think of wild felines in India’s jungles, it’s usually Bengal tigers and leopards that come to mind. But their lesser-known, smaller cousins, which are much more prevalent, are equally fascinating. Expedition Leader Surya Ramachandran will take you into the secret world of the beautifully patterned marbled cat, the fierce desert wildcat, the exquisite caracal, the diminutive rusty-spotted cat (one of the cat family’s tiniest members), and several more of India’s petite felines.

Wolves, Jackals and Foxes, Oh My! The Canids of India

Originally presented July 27, 2020
Wildlife conservation in India often focuses on tigers, elephants and rhinos; charismatic species that are found in national parks and preserves. However, eight species of wild canids including the Asiatic wild dog, two species of wolves,, four species of foxes and one species of jackal inhabit ranges both within and outside of protected areas, often in areas that are densely populated by humans. Because of this, protection of these species requires innovative solutions. Although much more research about them is needed, Expedition Leader Surya Ramachandran will help us understand where they are found, their behaviors and what the threats are to their survival.

Discover the Heart of India

Originally presented July 23, 2020
In this new webinar series, Annie Van Dinther interviews Expedition Leaders from around the world to discover the heart of the places they call home. Her quest is to take you on a journey with our guides, via stories and photographs, that leaves you feeling like you’ve been there. In this episode, travel vicariously to India with two leading Nat Hab Expedition Leaders who call it home, Payal Mehta and Harsha Jayaramaiah. While India may be best known for its teeming cities, it's the vast, diverse wild spaces of India that captivate Payal and Harsha. You'll discover why Indian nature has such a hold on Payal and Harsha's hearts.

Wild Asian Elephants and their Captive Counterparts

Originally presented July 13, 2020
Elephants have long played an important role in the art, culture and even warfare of India and elsewhere in Asia. Today, these smaller cousins to Africa’s elephants are endangered by habitat loss and poaching, and have lost 50% of their population and 85% of their traditional range in just a few generations. In this webinar, Expedition Leader Surya Ramachandran will discuss their biology, habitats, range and migratory routes, with a focus on how to conserve Asian elephants for the future. He will also dive into the controversy around captive elephants and what constitutes ethical treatment.

Saving Asia's Large Mammals: India's Inspiring Conservation Story

Originally presented July 6, 2020
How is it possible for Asiatic lions, Bengal tigers, Indian leopards and one-horned rhinos to survive in a country with 1.3 billion people? Expedition Leader Aditya Panda surveys India’s conservation history, revealing the uplifting story of how one of the world’s most densely populated countries has managed to protect vast habitats and save the largest, most stable populations of almost all of Asia’s most charismatic big creatures. He’ll place contemporary conservation measures in historical context, talk about WWF’s helping hand in this quest, and touch on the important conservation impacts of Nat Hab’s India adventures, sharing highlights from these encounters with wild Indian nature.

The Old Man of the Forest and Other Old World Primates

Originally presented June 17, 2020
Few animals on Earth strike a chord in the human soul like the orangutan — aloof, wise, sentient, mysterious— whose name in Malay means “old man of the forest.” Expedition Leader Brad Josephs introduces us to these incredible great apes, which share 99% of our DNA. We will also learn about many of Asia’s other primates, from the primitive giant-eyed tarsier to the beautiful golden snub-noses monkeys that live in China’s high altitudes. You’ll come away with lots of new knowledge about some of world’s oldest primate species!

Safari on the Subcontinent: India’s Big 7

Originally presented May 25, 2020
When you think of going on safari, India is not typically the first destination that pops to mind. But maybe it should be! Join Nat Hab Expedition Leader Aditya Panda to find out why. Aditya take us on a virtual safari to find India’s “Big 7”: Bengal tiger, leopard, sloth bear, Asiatic elephant, one-horned rhinoceros, Asiatic wild buffalo and Indian gaur.

Bears, Bears and More Bears

Originally presented May 13, 2020
You’ve asked for it, and we are bringing it to you! We’ve received so many requests for more bear webinars that we have invited back one of our experts, Expedition Leader Brad Josephs, to take us on a deep dive into the biology and behaviors of bears around the world. Brad will share his vast knowledge about these fascinating animals that strike such a deep chord for many of us.

Tigers: India's Powerful Top Predator

Originally presented May 11, 2020
In this webinar, Expedition Leader Surya Ramachandran will discuss the behaviors, biology and ecology of wild tigers in Ranthambore National Park, a protected area that was once the private hunting grounds of the Rajasthani Maharajas. An increasing tiger population also comes with the risk of increased conflict with humans, so we will also learn what it means for communities living in tiger habitat.

China’s Changing Views on Nature and Conservation

Originally presented May 6, 2020
China’s success in saving the giant panda from the brink of extinction, with the help of WWF, is arguably the world’s greatest conservation story and could only be achieved through widespread appreciation of these charismatic animals. Nat Hab’s Chinese/Tibetan naturalist guide Philip He joins Brad Josephs live from Sichuan Province to help unravel mysteries of the giant panda and the attitudes and actions that might lead to even more conservation victories in China.

Snow Leopards & Wildlife of the Himalayas

Originally presented April 30, 2020
In the austere heights of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau, an elusive feline thrives among the rocks and snowfields. Brad Josephs highlights the crucial role of conservation-focused tourism in sustaining the snow leopard population in northern India. He also introduces us to other charismatic Himalayan wildlife including the Tibetan wolf and wild yak.

Meet Borneo’s Sun Bears & the Hero Saving Them from Extinction

Originally presented April 22, 2020
Native only to the island of Borneo, the cute, fuzzy sun bear is the smallest of the world’s eight bear species. It’s facing big struggles from tropical forest loss, illegal hunting for bear parts, and poaching to obtain cubs for pet trade. But one man—Dr. Wong Siew Te—has almost single-handedly kept the sun bear from going extinct in the wild, dedicating his life to their protection.

Who’s the Best Bear in the World?

Originally presented April 15, 2020
These Expedition Leaders are passionate about bears—and each will make the case for why the bear species they represent should win our Best Bear in the World contest! The four contenders are the polar bear, brown bear, panda bear and sun bear. By the way, these are four of eight bear species worldwide.

Borneo’s Magical Menagerie

Originally presented April 8, 2020
Expedition Leader Brad Josephs is wild about Borneo! Join him for a deep dive into the tropical treasures of the world’s third-largest island. Boasting some of the planet’s greatest biodiversity, Earth’s oldest and tallest rain forests and endlessly fascinating fauna, Borneo brims with natural wonders.