Trishant Simlai

I am a conservation researcher primarily interested in the politics and the geographies of wildlife conservation in India. My current research revolves around the rising discourse of conservation militarisation. I focus on the social and political implications of using surveillance technologies such as Camera Traps, Drones, Electronic Eyes and other software in conservation science and practice.

 I am also interested in the way conservation is practiced in violent environments and links between the illegal wildlife trade and armed conflicts. I also have a very keen interest in animal geographies outside traditional protected areas and in human dominated landscapes.

My PhD research will aim to explore and understand the complexities that lie behind using surveillance technologies for conservation in and around the Corbett Tiger Reserve, India, specifically how the use of such technologies can affect local residents as well as the tripartite relationship between government conservation agencies, local and international conservation organizations. I intend to investigate the role these technologies play in the creation of spaces of control and the unequal power equations that shape their use. My research will also investigate the effectiveness of such methods. I will also attempt to explore the possibilities of a more ethical and participatory approach towards the use of surveillance technologies in conservation.