Dr. Saloni Bhatia

Research Interests

Saloni strives to contribute to global sustainability efforts by complementing scientific rigour with compassion and inclusivity. She is interested in inter and transdisciplinary research focusing on understanding the psycho-social dimensions of multispecies interactions, non-material aspects of livelihoods, and community-led monitoring, evaluation and learning tools vis-à-vis human-wildlife coexistence.

She is registered as a PhD guide with Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

Education

• PhD | Manipal Academy of Higher Education-Nature Conservation Foundation | 2019
• M.Sc. Biodiversity, Conservation & Management | University of Oxford | 2011
• M.Sc. Sustainable Development | Sikkim-Manipal University | 2009
• B.A. English Literature | University of Mumbai | 2007

Teaching, mentorship and other academic contributions

• Presently supervising five interns, two Masters and one PhD student at ATREE. Previously supervised five interns and one postgraduate student.
• Taught topics such as Culture and Values, Religious Teachings on Conservation, Conservation Ethics, Decolonizing Conservation, Sociology, Environmental Humanities, Environmental Personhood to MSc/PhD students at ATREE.
• Reviewer for over 15 journals including Biological Conservation, Conservation Biology, Animal Conservation, European Journal of Wildlife Research, Society & Natural Resources, Human Dimensions of Wildlife, Oryx, Society & Animals. Also serves as a Review Editor, Topic Editor and Handling Editor for Frontiers in Conservation Science.
• Conservation Social Science Mentor with Society for Conservation Biology's Social Science Working Group | 2022-2023
• Headed the Human Research Ethics Committee and part of the Academic Committee at WCS-India | 2021-2022
• Developed content for an audited course in Human Dimensions of Wildlife for the MSc. Wildlife Biology Programme at the National Centre for Biological Science (NCBS) and WCS-India's PhD coursework | 2021-2022
• Co-taught a module on Conservation Social Research | Snow Leopard Network | 2020
• Co-taught a workshop on Conservation Social Research | Nature Conservation Foundation | 2019
• Co-taught a module on Illegal Wildlife Trade and Hunting | Centre for Wildlife Studies | 2019
• Taught a module on Environment Management | Jai Hind College | 2007

Academic publications

Suryawanshi, K., Suresh, S. Young, J., Bhatia, S., Mishra, C. (In press). Promoting co-existence through improved understanding of human perceptions, attitudes, and behavior toward snow leopards. 

Esmail, N., McPherson, J. N., Abulu, L., Amend, T., Amit, R., Bhatia, S., Bikaba, D., Brichieri-Colombi, T. et al (In press). What's on the horizon for community-based conservation? Emerging threats and opportunities. Trends in Ecology and Evolution.

Bhatia, S. (In press). Book Review of Woolaston, K. Ecological Vulnerability: The Law and Governance of Human–Wildlife Relationships. Conservation and Society.

Srivathsa, A., Banerjee, A., Banerjee, S. Chawla, M, Das, A., Ganguly, D., Rodrigues, R., Adhya, T., Bhatia, S., Kshettry, A., Majgaonkar, I., Punjabi, G., Puri, M., Singh, P., Surve, N. (2022). Chasms in charismatic species research: Seventy years of carnivore science and its implications for conservation and policy in India. Biological Conservation, 273.

Bhatia, S. (2021). More than just no conflict: Examining the two sides of the coexistence coin. Frontiers in Conservation Science, 2.

Bhatia, S., Suryawanshi, K., Redpath, S. M., Namgail, S. & Mishra, C. (2021). Understanding people’s relationship with wildlife in Trans-Himalayan folklore. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 9.

Bhatia, S., Suryawanshi, K., Redpath, S. M., & Mishra, C. (2020). Understanding people's response toward predators in the Indian Himalaya. Animal Conservation, 2(3), 424-431.

Pooley, S., Bhatia, S., & Vasava, A. (2020). Rethinking the study of human-wildlife coexistence. Conservation Biology, 35(3), 784-793.

Bhatia, S., Redpath, S. M., Suryawanshi, K., & Mishra, C. (2020). Beyond conflict: exploring the spectrum of human–wildlife interactions and their underlying mechanisms. Oryx, 1-8.

Bhatia, S., Redpath, S. M., Suryawanshi, K., & Mishra, C. (2017). The relationship between religion and attitudes toward large carnivores in Northern India?. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 22(1), 30-42.

Srinivasan, M. P., Bhatia, S., & Shenoy, K. (2015). Vegetation-environment relationships in a South Asian tropical montane grassland ecosystem: restoration implications. Tropical Ecology, 56(2), 201-217

Redpath, S. M., Bhatia, S., & Young, J. (2015). Tilting at wildlife: reconsidering human–wildlife conflict. Oryx, 49(2), 222-225.

Suryawanshi, K. R., Bhatia, S., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Redpath, S., & Mishra, C. (2014). Multiscale factors affecting human attitudes toward snow leopards and wolves. Conservation Biology, 28(6), 1657-1666.

​Bhatia, S., Athreya, V., Grenyer, R., & Macdonald, D. W. (2013). Understanding the role of representations of human–leopard conflict in Mumbai through media‐content analysis. Conservation Biology, 27(3), 588-594.

Non-academic publications

Contributed to a story book and a workbook for Ladakhi nomadic school children based on folklore around snow leopards for the Achi Association | 2021

Bhatia, S. (2021). The stalker and the outcast: Sharing the landscape with predators in the high Himalaya. Shepherds of Himalayas, and Pastoral Times (reprint)

Bhatia, S. (2021). Ladakhi chai pe charcha: Lost stories from the high mountains. Current Conservation, 14.3.

Bhatia, S. (2016). In Ladakh, protecting wildlife in the name of God. DNA India.

Bhatia, S., Kapadia, K. (2014). The curious case of a collared cat. Hardnews Media.

Bhatia, S. (2013). Not so deserted, after all! The Hindu.

Bhatia, S. (2013). Being Inspired. Hornbill (July-September).

Co-authored the Plan for Snow Leopard Recovery in Arunachal Pradesh. Report Prepared by Nature Conservation Foundation, Arunachal Pradesh Dept. of Environment & Forests and Snow Leopard Trust. Mysore and Itanagar.

Conferences, talks, discussions, interviews

• Talk titled 'Examining values associated with large mammals in Trans-Himalayan folklore', Human Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Conference, United Kingdom | 2023
• Panelist at a discussion around the theme of sustainability for undergraduate students auditing a course in Sustainability Communication, Erasmus University, Netherlands | 2022
• Interviewed as a woman with an unconventional career choice, Vitamin Stree, India | 2022
• Interactive session with the Changpa youth on Social Research Ethics, Nature Conservation Foundation, India | 2022
• Interviewed for my journey as a woman conservation anthropologist in India, Women of the Wild-India | 2022
• Panelist at a workshop on 'Bridging borders: celebrating science and conservation along our borders', Conservation Optimism-India and Pakistan | 2022
• Jury member for CMS Vatavaran (International Environment and Wildlife Film Festival) | 2021
• Organised a panel discussion on 'Looking beyond human-wildlife conflict', Student Conference on Conservation Science, India | 2021
• Talk titled 'Sustainability as a way of life', Giants Group of Island City, Mumbai, India | 2021
• Talk titled 'Lost Stories of human-wildlife Coexistence from the mountains of Ladakh', Pondicherry University, India | 2021
• Panelist at a discussion on 'The role of culture in conservation', Center for Wildlife Studies, India | 2021
• Roundtable discussion on 'Careers in conservation and research', Ambedkar University, India | 2020
• Talk titled 'Lost stories from the high mountains', Cafe Oikos, and Mythology Classroom | 2020
• Talk titled ‘Values associated with the snow leopard, wolf, and their prey, the ibex’, Entangled Natures, Ambedkar University, India | 2019
• Talk titled ‘What drives human response toward snow leopards and wolves in Ladakh?’, The Rufford Conference, India | 2018
• Co-organised and presented at a symposium titled ‘Assimilated Knowledges: an integrated approach to conservation in snow leopard landscapes’, Conservation Asia-Society for Conservation Biology, Kyrgyzstan | 2018
• Talk titled ‘The role of religion in influencing attitudes toward carnivores’, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, India | 2015
• Poster titled ‘Media representations of human-leopard conflict in Mumbai’, Student Conference on Conservation Science, United Kingdom | 2013
• Speed talk titled ‘Media representations of human-leopard conflict in Mumbai’, Society for Conservation Biology, India | 2012

Awards and Grants

• IUCN-ITHCP | Community-based tiger conservation and livelihoods project in Nagaland, India | 2022 
• Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies | Human-wildlife coexistence project | 2022 
• Wildlife Conservation Network | Research on human-carnivore relationships in Ladakh, India | 2018
• Rufford Small Grants | Research on human-carnivore relationships in Ladakh | 2017
• SCCS | Internship with Prof. Steve Redpath (University of Aberdeen) to review literature on human-wildlife conflict | 2013
• Animal Behavior Society, USA | E.O. Wilson Conservation Award | 2011
• Allan and Nesta Ferguson Trust | MSc. Biodiversity, Conservation and Management (University of Oxford) | 2010
• University of Mumbai | B.A. English Literature (Rank holder) | 2007
• Principal’s Special Prize and A.J. Mamtora Scholarship | B.A. English Literature (Rank holder) | 2007
• Shakuntala Jagtiani Prize | B.A. English Literature (academic excellence) | 2006

Additional certifications

• Haiyya Foundation | People, Power and Change (Community mobilization) | 2021
• Systemic Software Solutions, Mumbai | Project Management | 2019
• NCBS, Bangalore | Science Writing | 2019
• Wesleyan University (Coursera) | Social Psychology | 2014
• FERAL, Bangalore | GIS, GPS and Remote Sensing | 2014
• Indian Red Cross Society, Mumbai | Conflict Preparedness, First-aid, and Safer Access | 2005
• Sophia College, Mumbai | Social Work Focussing on Women’s Issues | 2005
• Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai | Leadership Course in Biodiversity Conservation | 2005

Follow her work on Academia, ResearchGate, ORCID