Couple Buys Destroyed Farmlands In India And Naturally Transforms Them Into Wildlife Sanctuaries

By Brianna Acuesta

A passionate couple moved to India to save the nation from complete deforestation by rescuing and rehabilitating barren farmland.

For those seeking inspiration even though they have been told that one person can’t make a difference, look no further. This is actually a story about a couple who followed their passion for rehabilitating land, wildlife, and the fresh water supply in India despite the odds being stacked against them.

Anil and Pamela Malhotra first married in 1960 and lived in the United States until they returned to India for Anil’s father’s funeral and saw the terrible state of the country. Anil told the India Times what he saw when he returned to his native country: “There was so much deforestation, the timber lobby was in charge, and the river was polluted. And no one seemed to care. That was when we decided to do something to reclaim the forests in India.” He went on further to explain that the fresh water supply was running out and the land was in dire need of restoration to the forest land it once was.

What started out as a 55-acre purchase of desolate farmland in 1991 transformed into 300-acres of reclaimed farmlands. The couple buys lands that have been exploited and made barren by farmers who wish to sell it because they can no longer grow anything on it. Anil and Pamela then allow the forest to regenerate naturally, sometimes planting indigenous species to encourage growth and allowing mother nature to do the rest. As you can see, this has worked beautifully and the land is now flourishing into the forest it was meant to be.

Additionally, the couple, now a team of people, rehabilitates and introduces native wildlife to the forests to protect the animals make the forests home to these beautiful creatures again. The land, now called the Save Animals Initiative (SAI), is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including Asian elephants, leopards, foxes, monkeys, river otters, and over 300 species of birds.

SAI also offers eco-tourist cottages where visitors can stay and live amongst the nature and environment that the forests offer. The cost of the stay goes toward the Sanctuary’s Trust which funds the efforts to maintain the forest and wildlife protection. To get more information on staying in this beautiful locale,you can visit their website here.

To get a better feel of the regenerated forests and the serenity it offers, watch the video below. Comment your thoughts below and share this article!

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