How Wildlife SOS Rescues and Rehabilitates India’s Wildlife

Chris sits down with Nikki Sharp, Executive Director of Wildlife SOS (US), to explore the organization’s frontline conservation and rescue work in India, with a special focus on Asian elephants. With only 35,000–40,000 Asian elephants remaining worldwide — and India home to roughly 60% of them — the species has declined significantly due to habitat loss, expanding infrastructure, and human-elephant conflict. Nikki shares how Wildlife SOS moved from ending India’s dancing bear practice to rescuing captive and wild elephants, supporting anti-poaching efforts, and protecting species from sloth bears to star tortoises. The episode highlights innovative solutions such as community WhatsApp alert systems and emerging AI tools to reduce train collisions, while also addressing the emotional realities of trauma in rescued elephants. The mission is clear: end elephant exploitation, reduce preventable deaths, and empower people everywhere to protect wildlife — starting with refusing elephant rides and supporting ethical conservation. Timeline 00:00 Meet Nikki Sharp 01:05 From Dinner to Mission 04:21 Why Asian Elephants Matter 05:11 Population Crash Explained 09:32 Why So Overlooked 11:03 Asian vs African Differences 14:54 Coexistence Solutions 17:50 Tech to Prevent Collisions 20:45 India Conservation Momentum 24:06 Elephant Rescue Realities 28:24 Manu Rescue Timeline 30:02 High Stakes Transport 32:55 Life at the Sanctuary 33:55 Trauma and Recovery Stories 38:00 Threats to Wild Elephants 40:35 Beyond Elephants Conservation Work 43:38 Welfare Meets Conservation 45:25 Next Decade Goals 47:52 How You Can Help 50:08 Where to Follow Wildlife SOS 50:33 Closing Thanks and Wrap =========================================================== Another thank you to all our Patreon supporters. You too can join for one cup of "good" coffee a month. With your pledge you can support your favorite podcast on Patreon and give back to conservation. With the funds we receive each month, we are have been sending money to conservation organizations monthly. We now send a check to every organization we cover, as we feel they all are deserving of our support. Thank you so much for your support and for supporting animal conservation.  Please considering supporting us at Patreon HERE. We also want to thank you to all our listeners. We are giving back to every conservation organization we cover and you make that possible. We are committed to donating large portions of our revenue (at minimum 25%) to every organization we cover each week. Thank you for helping us to grow, and for helping to conserve our wildlife. Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast You can also visit our website HERE.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices