He started the career with The Corbett Foundation, NGO that works for Wildlife Conservation. Main job responsibilities were to spread conservation awareness amongst locals. During the job with The Corbett Foundation worked with several schools and did many awareness programmes on regular basis with them. Worked with villagers and local communities for wildlife conservation and helped the tiger conservation programme of WWF-India, Mahaseer Conservation Programme of EPAC International and Medical Programme. (all above programme are the programmes of The Corbett Foundation). Helped in publication of quarterly Hindi and English newsletter on Corbett (published by The Corbett Foundation). Worked with Kids for Tigers Programme (Sanctuary Asia) as city coordinator. Worked with various other NGOs and Government departments during various occasions like wildlife week, animal census programme etc. Gave many conservation awareness talks to the Forest trainees of Kalagarh Training Centre, Corbett Tiger Reserve. Helped various students in their studies during their visit to Corbett.

Sanjay presently works with the Leisure Hotels and heads the Leisure Green team which does many cleaning drives in the area, wildlife awareness programmes in schools, and through the slide presentations try to raise awareness amongst tourists. Sanjay writes conservation related articles in daily newspaper and magazines and has never said no when we at SFMC gave a shout for some work.

Kindly visit Sanjay’s website for more info on www.jungleecorbett.com

In this time of rising Man-animal conflict it is hard to see a way that these magnificent creatures will find a way to survive, it is surely only with local support and their respect of the wildlife that my grand children may visit here and experience what I have been privileged enough to.

Snakes have always held that ‘Fear” factor in man, just the mere mention of the word “Snake” can drive masses into panic, in India in particular there reputation as man Killers holds some truth to it with many thousands of people a year losing their lives to snake bites. It is therefore, understandable if the villagers here would first look to kill snakes out of self preservation.

However, yesterday when a snake entered a lady’s room and decided to rest there, no ones first thought was to kill the snake instead they reached for the phone in search of help to remove this snake so that it could carry on with its life in the jungle.  The snake in question was no ordinary snake either it was the King of Kings the King Cobra.  A snake so large and with such a fearsome reputation it would have been no surprise if the immediate reaction was to kill it out of self preservation.  Instead their reaction of reaching out for help to preserve this magnificent and rare snake is the first sign of conservation and a huge encouragement that the wildlife in this area will be saved.

Sanjay Chhimwal a renowned naturalist of the area stepped forward to rescue the King and although there was a lot of excitement and fear amongst the by standers, typified by many of them scurrying for safety atop the nearby roof, to look into their eyes was where the real hope lay, there was no malice no intention to kill this lost soul, only a fascination and awe of this hugely impressive King and all bar none gave it the respect it so richly deserves.

For me the most pleasing aspect of this whole episode was to see the amount of people who I had originally involved in the snake conservation project that I started last year.  Many of them like Hem Bahuguna, Khalidatt Kargetti, came from Ramnagar to lend their support, Sumantha Ghosh dropped everything to rush over and lend a hand, and looking around at the faces of people I now call friends it was easy to see that any of them if wouldn’t have hesitated in rescuing the snake.

When it finally freed from its confines to the nearby river the joyous hand and back slapping typified everyone’s wish to see the King back in the Wild where he belongs.

I can only hope that this sort of reaction will be long lasting and will lead to conservation of all species in the area because India without the Majestic and Mystifying Creatures that roam it is just another country and India so much more than that.