By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:The book “Riddle of the Ridleys -Wildlife Tales from Odisha” written by Dr. Biswajit Mohanty was released today at Gita Govinda Sadan, Bhubaneswar by Smt. Sulochana Das, Mayor, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.
The book is a collection of 30 short stories on wildlife as narrated by the author, who is a noted conservationist. He has recounted his wildlife experiences in the jungles of Odisha over the last three decades. Speaking on the occasion , the Chief Guest, Shri Suresh Chandra Mohanty, IFS (Retd.), former PCCF & Head of Forest Force, Odisha, said that Dr, Mohanty has rendered yeoman service for the preservation of the wildlife of Odisha. Noted ornithologist and writer Ms Panchami Manoo Ukil presented the book and the stories.
Anil Dhir, the Convener of Intach’s Bhubaneswar Chapter revealed that Odisha has become a poachers paradise due to which the tiger, gharial, elephant and pangolin population has plummeted in last two decades. The state records the highest elephant deaths in India as a percentage of the wild population.
Dr. Mohanty while addressing the audience also explained he was inspired to share his stories with the public after his momentous journey in the wildlife world since the last few decades . This would encourage more wildlife lovers of Odisha to explore its wilderness and appreciate the rich wildlife fauna of the state.
The event was followed by the First Wildlife Awards ,2026 launched by the Wildlife Society of Orissa to recognize and honour foot soldiers and activists fighting to save wildlife in the state. The Wildlife Gaurav Samman 2026 carrying a cash prize of Rs.50,000 was given to Subhendu Mallik, a noted activist who has assisted enforcement efforts of STF, Crime Branch and Odisha forest officials consistently since two decades. Shri Mallik, an agriculture science graduate from OUAT, Bhubaneswar has also actively trained forest and police officials in tackling wildlife crime.
Apart from this he has rescued and rehabilitated hundreds of snakes with volunteers under the Snake Helpline group set up in 2009. The Wildlife Seva Samman 2026, carrying a cash prize of Rs.10,000 was given to Sovakar Behera, a noted wildlife activist of Puri district who has contributed to the protection of endangered Olive Ridley Sea turtles at Devi river mouth beach and Konark beach since the last three decades.
Sovakar has actively worked under the sea turtle research program run by Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun in the Puri coast. He has also been associated with Operation Kachhapa run by Wildlife Society of Orissa in the past. Both awards were sponsored by SBM Memorial Foundation, Cuttack which has been set up by conservationist Dr. Biswajit Mohanty in memory of his parents Santi Mohanty and CA Biswanath Mohanty. Dr. Mohanty also said that this shall be an annual event.
Without active public involvement in tackling wildlife crime many species will go extinct in the state, Dr. Mohanty claimed. Noted wildlife activists working tirelessly for wildlife protection by way of seizures, raids and assisting forest officials in arrests of poachers and traders shall be recognized and honoured. This shall inspire other young people to take up the cause. The event was attended by many wildlife lovers and forest officers of the state.
