First, a big shout out to all the field assistants out there! I have spent umpteen number of hours in some of the World’s most dangerous field sites–per my well-travelled American ecologist Prof colleagues–in the jungles of Mudumalai and Bandipur National Parks in India. Situated in the Niligiri Biosphere reserve in southern India and teaming with elephants, leopards, tigers (and teaks!), these forests hold the highest densities of Asia’s large mammals. I, and many before me, have routinely placed our lives in the hands of our native field assistants and their acute, aware senses about the forest that they grew up in, the senses we rely on to protect us without any guns! I am utterly grateful to the many field assistants I had the good fortune to work with, from the veterans to the younglings: Kulbomma, Kunmari, Chinnabomma, Kalan, Madan, Maran, Krishna, Raja, Aalu, drivers Selvam and Mani, and the field-station cook Maran and may others. Most of them belong to the Kurumba tribe and live in the adorably simple, eco-friendly ways of ecosystems people with admirable low resource footprints (sensu Gadgil, Madhav).
Second, crossing paths with numerous fellow researchers and their stories has been a cherished privilege of my career. Witnessing, sharing journeys together as collaborators, mentors, mentees and research colleagues. I thank them all, and wish them well.
Rutuja Chitra-Tarak 