Best of 2025: Meet the 10 Indians Who Took Personal Risks to Save Wildlife Across India |
Conservation goes beyond saving species; it also means preserving the delicate balance between humans and the natural world. Through the stories we’ve told in 2025, The Better India has attempted to bring to you wildlife heroes who went beyond passion to create real impact on the ground.
Here are 10 stellar individuals. From forests and coastlines to grasslands and wetlands across India, they have safeguarded endangered species, restored fragile ecosystems, and inspired communities to coexist with nature.
Fondly known as Bheru, Bhera Ram Bishnoi, a forest guard at Rajasthan’s Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, has become an integral presence in the forest. When he first joined in 2013, he recalls the sanctuary feeling empty. Over the years, Bheru patrolled 15 km daily, learnt through trial and error, and mastered the installation of camera traps to monitor illegal activity.
Gradually, leopards, sloth bears, and hyenas began appearing on camera, deepening his bond with the wild.
Read their full journey here.
Sharvan Patel couldn’t bear to watch the blackbucks and mongooses struggle for water near a dried-up waterhole at Rajasthan’s Tal Chhapar Sanctuary. Realising that survival in the desert hinged on access to water, Sharvan started building traditional ponds using local materials and simple innovations, documenting their impact through camera traps and social media.
What started as a small experiment grew into a community-led movement, funded by microdonations. Today, Sharvan has helped build over 30 ponds and inspired 80 more across Rajasthan, reviving habitats and giving wildlife a lifeline in the desert.
Read their full journey