"Why do you have to tell us all this? Can't I just Google?"

Do you remember the first time you were out in nature? Or the first time you saw a wild animal? Do you remember how it made you feel? Among the many things we have to be proud of, India’s rich heritage of biodiversity and fascinating history of conservation stand out. During the British rule, conservation was focused on specific species and geographic areas, and for a long time was based on the idea that protecting nature meant keeping humans out or away from it. The foundations for modern day conservation were established in post-independence India, with the passing of the Wildlife Act in 1972, and subsequently the formation of a national Wildlife Board. As a country, we’ve also been witness to some of the most powerful environmental movements that have fought to assert the deep and inextricable connection between human beings and nature. But how does nature fit into our everyday lives today? As the monsoon gets more erratic, as temperatures become more extreme, as our growing urban jungles redefine our natural environment, and as we, especially in cities, become increasingly ensconced in our individual lives, this episode reminds us that we should sometimes, just put away our phones and go out to experience nature. It’s a story about how an encounter with a wild creature, can transform us as individuals, and bring us closer to our natural environment, and even possibly inspire a career. In this episode, we take a look at a unique, citizen focused, conservation movement that's brought people and turtles together for over thirty years. The Student Sea Turtle Conservation Movement (SSTCN) is a voluntary group of mostly students and we hear from Arun, one of its coordinators. We also chat with Kartik Shanker and Madhuri Ramesh from Dakshin Foundation, and learn how the SSTCN has been inspirational to many in conservation, introducing young people to mentors and nurturing early experiences with wildlife. And we speak to the indefatigable Dinesh Goswami, a construction labourer turned whaleshark conservationist,