In a country like India, humans and wildlife have always shared spaces, finding ways to coexist. Over the years, this relationship has gone through somewhat of an upheaval. Sharing Cities is a collaborative awareness and outreach campaign between Rainmatter and organisations working in the conservation and coexistence space.
A lot of misinformation and fear surrounds species of reptiles, insects and other species we find our vicinity, often making them an object of harm. The campaign aims to communicate and explore what it means to share our cities with the surrounding wildlife and relearn the idea of coexisting with our fellow species.
Our collaborators include HSI-India, The Liana Trust, PRANI, the Second Chance Sanctuary, and Yatin Kalki, among others. You can stay updated regarding the campaign on the following Rainmatter channels -
A recent study recorded that there are 33 species of snakes spotted in the city of Bengaluru, many of which are harmless. It is important to understand our ecology better and the species living in that ecology, this helps in replacing the inherent feelings of perceived fear against the actual danger posed, giving space for tolerance, the first step towards co-existence. Here is a handy guide to identifying snakes commonly found in southern India.
In India, humans and wildlife have always shared spaces, finding ways to coexist. With a fast urbanising society, habitat loss due to climate change, and a disconnect between humans and natural landscapes, these interactions sometimes turn sour, leading to tension and losses for all.
“Sharing Cities: Coexistence in the Urbanscape” is an ongoing collaborative awareness and outreach campaign between Rainmatter and organisations working in the conservation and coexistence space. The aim is to be able to better understand the incredible biodiversity that surrounds us and is critical to an urban landscape, as well as to navigate coexistence with the many species we share it with.
An animal group often misunderstood in this context, and deeply feared, is snakes. In a conversation between Gerry (The Liana Trust), Sumanth (HSI-India), Sandeep (The Good Earth - Malhar) and Tanmayi (Rainmatter Foundation), they talk about the cruciality of snakes and other overlooked animals in an urban ecosystem, the changing relationship between humans and their environment, how it might be time for us to rethink our long-held perceptions, and how positive conversations can be the beginning of lasting change.
Over the last few weeks, our collaborators, social media team and designer have worked tirelessly to put together the coexistence campaign. As part of Sharing Cities, attached are some materials that are free to download and refer to for all. These are useful posters and fliers for schools to begin conversations around coexistence with children, for residents to be mindful of the different species, especially snakes, they share their urban landscape with and access helpful resources, as well as cautionary notes for common spaces. Feel free to download and circulate these widely.
Latest from our Sharing Cities campaign, an observational piece on what it means to share our landscapes with other non-human species, and how curiosity can replace fear as we begin to understand our wild neighbors better.
