Running Away from Elephants: The Adventures of a Wildlife Biologist

by Rauf Ali, Chair Jairam Ramesh (Foreword)

'The memoirs of a self-confessed maverick wildlife biologist, full of fascinating information, and stories told with Rauf's inimitable caustic humour. A must for wildlife lovers and all who enjoy a unique read.'--Mark Tully Beginning with his interactions with Dr Salim Ali, the legendary ornithologist--who was also his grand-uncle--wildlife biologist Rauf Ali takes the reader on a journey through India's natural history and the beginning of ecological studies in India. Rauf was one of the first Indians to complete a PhD in wildlife biology--he researched the social behaviour of bonnet macaques in the forests of Mundanthurai region in Tamil Nadu. In the late 1980s, he was instrumental in setting up one of India's first Masters programmes in ecology, and later, as an ecologist, Rauf undertook the task of delineating Protected Areas in the Palani Hills of the Western Ghats. He was also among the first to conduct environmental research in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and in this book, he provides eye-opening information on the environmental damage caused by the introduction of chital and other species alien to the region. Enlivening the narrative are anecdotes drawn from a career spanning over three of encountering wild elephants; dealing with red tape; and whiskey-laced brainstorming sessions with students and Nobel laureates alike. Through these personal accounts, Rauf reveals the state of environmental conservation in India, and the complex relationship between locals, wildlife researchers and forest officials. He also emerges as a person who was influential in creating policies for the conservation of the environment and who had little patience for the corruption and bureaucratic processes that came in the way. Quirky, candid and informative, Running Away from Elephants is an invaluable addition to writings on natural history in India.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2018

Reviews

[Vaijyanti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book begins slowly but is engrossing and the language is meant for laypeople. Jargon is explained in simple words.

This book gives an insight into how plans fail, despite having the best intentions behind them. The grinding wheel of bureaucracy finally depends on the person at the helm. The classic case described by the author of chital at Interview Island comes to mind.

The book gives us the points of view of researchers as well as forest officers. Again, things differ from person to person. Most disappointing to find how well-qualified people have quit academics due to the self-seving bureaucratic nature of institutions.

Learnt about different kinds of macaques from this book. Noted a down the names a of a number of animals that I will now look up on the Internet, for more details.

[Prateek GOYAL · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, especially if you're into biology or ecology stuff. It takes you on a ride through life's big picture. The last quarter of the book was my favorite, after he starts to live in Auroville. The author's Auroville admin gig was funny. The part about invasive species was pretty convincing too. And there's an interesting bit about the history of the Singampatti lease to Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation.

The author looks at things from a science angle, even the everyday stuff. The book talks a lot about how India's bureaucracy works, how it depends on the person at the helm of it. One big theme is how things don't always work out as planned, a lot of factors are at play and failures are likely.

But, there's a downside for me—politics pops up here and there in the book, and that wasn't my favorite part.

[Indigo bear · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked learning about conservation, academia, and activism in Asia in this book. I thought he could have done a better job of balancing depth and breadth - it is admittedly difficult to summarize an entire life, but sometimes situations are described without sufficient context in my view.

[Pooja · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most openly written journey of field biologists. No wonder, Dr. Rauf Ali was a celebrated teacher among wildlife biologists.

[Deepu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating

Good read. Well written and easy to visualize the happy moments and challenges faced by Rauf Ali as a part of his research journey.

[Sarah A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the book. Always admired Rauf’s work and his legacy in the ecological space in India. Quirky, intelligent, imaginative and deeply engrossing, this book is true to the person that Rauf Ali was!

[Richa Kedia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of the book is misleading as I based on it I had thought his research was on elephants or at least elephants had a major role in his life but was disappointed to learn they barely appear on 2 pages of the book as small anecdotes.

Apart from the title, the book is a good read. It gives good insights into the life of a wildlife biologist, the challenges, the highs and the lows. The insights maybe very helpful for anyone to know about this lesser known field.

Also Rauf Ali has a very witty and humorous style of writing, which was nice and fun very to read. This is also quite rare, as most researchers have a boring and didactic tone, making for a difficult read, but not this one. Also his anecdotes of Salim Ali were hilarious, exposing a side of him that only family can reveal.