CEO Insights Hall of Fame: 8 Legends Who Keep India Evergreen
S P Shahi: The Only Leader and Guardian for the Wolf Pack in India
A trailblazing environmentalist and forest officer, S P Shahi is the one behind the establishment of Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary in Jharkhand, the only sanctuary in India devoted to wolf protection. The sanctuary houses about 31,000 wolves, making it the sole wolf sanctuary in the nation.
SP Shahi began his career by joining the bureaucracy in 1942, having been hired by the Bihar Forest Department as a timber supply officer. He was 43 when he was appointed the nation's first and youngest Chief Conservator of Forests in 1960. Up until his retirement in 1976, he worked for the government as a forest officer.
For many years, while serving as a Forest Officer, SP Shahi put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears into constructing Mahuadanr as a wolf sanctuary to safeguard wolves. In 1976, this 63.25-square-kilometer forest tract was finally designated as a wolf sanctuary. This is the only wolf preservation sanctuary in the nation.
A Complete Switch: From Hunting to Protecting Wolves
He organized shoots, particularly of tigers and panthers, for his seniors under the initial assumption that animals in the forest were meant to be hunted for sport. At one point, he was known for only using one shot to kill a tiger. However, he gave up shooting completely out of regret and remorse, switching to wildlife photography instead. During his final five years of duty, he took some astonishing pictures of wildlife, particularly grey wolves and their homes in the woods of Bihar.
He Protected Other Wild Animals Too
In addition to protecting the wolf population, he has made a significant contribution to preserving tigers and Asian elephants as well as preventing the extensive devastation of Bihar's forests. His research and suggestions led to the creation of several protected areas in Bihar, notably Palamau, which was designated as a tiger reserve in 1973.
Continued Forest Conservation After Retirement
In 1976, S.P. Shahi retired and continued to pursue his passion for forest conservation. He also served on a number of committees established to oversee wildlife protection. He performed a significant role in elephant conservation, particularly in assessing and recommending conservation measures for the critically endangered elephants in central India. He was also one of the founding members of the IUCN/SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
He oversaw the Asian Elephant Project for Bihar as its project coordinator. He was also chosen to lead the study team in 1984 to look into the issue of elephant management in Assam and suggest solutions.
S.P. Shahi has written scientific papers and articles for a number of publications and journals devoted to wildlife. In his 1975 book Backs to the Wall – A Saga of Wildlife in Bihar, he records the wildlife of Bihar using images he took throughout the final five years of his career.