Couple Spends 26 Years Replanting A Rainforest They Bought In 1991, And Here’s How It Looks Today
Pamela Gale Malhotra and her husband, Anil Malhotra, own Sai Sanctuary, the only private wildlife sanctuary in India and have been replanting and protecting forests and wildlife since it’s foundation in 1991. Today, SAI Sanctuary covers over 300 acres of wildlife that are home to more than 200 globally endangered species of plants and animals, including Asian elephants and Bengal tigers.
“When we first came here, most of the lands that were sold to us, were abandoned lands,” Pamela told Great Big Story. “Abandoned rice fields, coffee, and cardamom fields as well. A lot of deforestation had taken place. And that took a lot, a lot of care and energy and time and years to bring it back.”
The part of India where the sanctuary is located, Kodagu district, has experienced a dramatic decrease in forest cover – from 86% in the 1970s to 16% today. Pamela explained that this has disastrous effects on rainfall patterns and water supply not only in the district but throughout the south of India.
You could say that the couple is piecing back together the environment by ensuring that the forests can provide shelter for the animals, and the animals can in return keep the forests healthy. “We both feel a tremendous amount of joy when we walk through the sanctuary,” said Pamela. “I’ve never felt this kind of joy in anything else that I’ve done in my life.”
More info: saisanctuary.com (h/t: greatbigstory)
Kodagu district in South India is suffering from extreme deforestation
Image credits: Infinite Windows
But Pamela Gale Malhotra and her husband, Anil Malhotra, decided to fight
Image credits: Infinite Windows
So the couple co-founded SAI Sanctuary in 1991
Image credits: The Better India
Since then, they have been replanting trees and expanding the sanctuary. It now covers over 300 acres of wildlife
Image credits: Great Big Story
The area is home to more than 200 globally endangered species, including Asian elephants
Image credits: The Better India
“When we first came here, most of the lands that were sold to us, were abandoned lands”
Image credits: SAI Sanctuary
“Abandoned rice fields, coffee, and cardamom fields as well”
Image credits: Great Big Story
“[It] took a lot of care, energy, and years to bring it back”
Image credits: The Better India
“I remember walking through the forest, you wouldn’t hear anything but the sound of your own feet”
Image credits: Great Big Story
“Now, the place is alive with sound”
Image credits: Great Big Story
Pamela hopes that the forest continues to be protected and expanded
Image credits: Infinite Windows
“We both feel a tremendous amount of joy when we walk through the sanctuary”
Image credits: Great Big Story
“I’ve never felt this kind of joy in anything else that I’ve done in my life”
Image credits: Infinite Windows
Watch the couple’s video below
This is the kind of story that the mainstream news should be covering. We need to inspire more people to do likewise. They are real heroes.
This story really touched me. I live in Sri Lanka and many of our forests have suffered the same fate. Our forest cover has reduced drastically and many endemic animals in our country are endangered. Wild animals are killed regularly either by humans or vehicles as they encroach into human habitat, looking for food as their homes have been destroyed. No one cares. I wish there were more people like this couple.
Good job from this couple, we need more passionated animal and nature lovers like these, this forest now´s a habitat for elephants and all other kinds of animals!!! 16730426_1...18e9b8.jpg 
I would hope to see more of these stories of selfless acts on 'Bored Panda' & less on politics. I can read political stuff anywhere. Trying to make Trump funny , or, edgy ,falls flat with me & I'm no Trump fan.
Way to go!!!! *thousands of billions of cheers going on*** woop woop
Commendable, but how do they fend off poachers? The animal kind and the tree kind.
Seeing these kinds of news increases my hope that a better world is not an impossible thing to dream of. These attempts should be encountered with greater joys and should definitely spread across the world.
An "if I won the lottery" goal. This would be so awesome to be able to do.
People like this doing amazing work really make me feel like a piece of s**t.
Good job,guys! If only all people have the same mindset as yours,the world would have better chances at fighting environmental problems.
Is there any contact for these people? Do they accept donations? I think I have found some new hero's
We cannot appreciate these couple in just a pair of words. it should be above that. They not only gave life to a sanctuary but gave life to millions of living things in and around the sanctuary. "Don't remove the trees, it will give rain, remove wastes from Lake, it will save water".
When you’re in nature, you don’t have to look in mirrors. Instead, you’re either focused on the setting around you, or on what you are doing, like climbing, setting up a tent, or gardening. Studies show that people’s body image improves when we spend time in nature, and I think this is part of the reason why. :)
if just two people can do this amazing thing, think of what 100 or 1000 could do! Great job!!!
Love this story. They really gave their live a wonderful meaning
THIS is how we need to direct our restless, relentless human energy! If more folks were like this couple, this priceless planet would be a paradise (again).
Wow~ if i didn't found a link on FB that dropped me here I wouldn't have found it! It is sooooo amazing what they had done! I want to pay a visit! \o/
This is the kind of story that the mainstream news should be covering. We need to inspire more people to do likewise. They are real heroes.
This story really touched me. I live in Sri Lanka and many of our forests have suffered the same fate. Our forest cover has reduced drastically and many endemic animals in our country are endangered. Wild animals are killed regularly either by humans or vehicles as they encroach into human habitat, looking for food as their homes have been destroyed. No one cares. I wish there were more people like this couple.
Good job from this couple, we need more passionated animal and nature lovers like these, this forest now´s a habitat for elephants and all other kinds of animals!!! 16730426_1...18e9b8.jpg
I would hope to see more of these stories of selfless acts on 'Bored Panda' & less on politics. I can read political stuff anywhere. Trying to make Trump funny , or, edgy ,falls flat with me & I'm no Trump fan.
Way to go!!!! *thousands of billions of cheers going on*** woop woop
Commendable, but how do they fend off poachers? The animal kind and the tree kind.
Seeing these kinds of news increases my hope that a better world is not an impossible thing to dream of. These attempts should be encountered with greater joys and should definitely spread across the world.
An "if I won the lottery" goal. This would be so awesome to be able to do.
People like this doing amazing work really make me feel like a piece of s**t.
Good job,guys! If only all people have the same mindset as yours,the world would have better chances at fighting environmental problems.
Is there any contact for these people? Do they accept donations? I think I have found some new hero's
We cannot appreciate these couple in just a pair of words. it should be above that. They not only gave life to a sanctuary but gave life to millions of living things in and around the sanctuary. "Don't remove the trees, it will give rain, remove wastes from Lake, it will save water".
When you’re in nature, you don’t have to look in mirrors. Instead, you’re either focused on the setting around you, or on what you are doing, like climbing, setting up a tent, or gardening. Studies show that people’s body image improves when we spend time in nature, and I think this is part of the reason why. :)
if just two people can do this amazing thing, think of what 100 or 1000 could do! Great job!!!
Love this story. They really gave their live a wonderful meaning
THIS is how we need to direct our restless, relentless human energy! If more folks were like this couple, this priceless planet would be a paradise (again).
Wow~ if i didn't found a link on FB that dropped me here I wouldn't have found it! It is sooooo amazing what they had done! I want to pay a visit! \o/
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