Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), is a non-profit trust based in Bangalore (Bengaluru), Karnataka, India. Inspired by the pioneering tiger studies of Dr. George Schaller of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), New York, founder-trustee Ullas Karanth established CWS in 1984. The CWS has since then blossomed into an internationally recognized centre of excellence in the arenas of wildlife research, training, formal education and conservation.


CWS is a major local partner in India of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), New York, which provides funding support and intellectual inspiration to CWS.

CWS practices science-based conservation, aligned with the WCS mission, with special emphasis on the ecology and conservation of the tiger, its sympatric predators, and other large mammals. CWS works in collaboration with Central and State Governments in India to promote conservation of wildlife and wild lands. CWS projects in India are additionally supported by several international charities as well as other Indian agencies and donors. Since 1984 CWS has implemented several projects involving wildlife research, education, training, outreach and site-based conservation at regional and national levels. CWS partners with National Centre for Biological Sciences-Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (NCBS-TIFR) in conducting wildlife research and running a post-graduate level education program in wildlife biology and conservation. CWS also conducts short-term field training programs for naturalist-volunteers and government staff in animal population monitoring methods and other conservation topics of relevance.

CWS believes that wildlife conservation involves sustained long-term work at key conservation sites, often extending over decades to build up necessary local support. Therefore, CWS focuses on education and capacity building of Indian nationals and civil society groups at local and regional scales. CWS provides scientific advice to partners and promotes critical interventions for establishing, monitoring and evaluating 'working models' of science-driven, site-based wildlife conservation in India.


© Centre for Wildlife Studies | Photographs : Ullas Karanth, Krithi Karanth, Elenor Briggs, Sanjay Gubbi & Kalyan Varma