Bombay Natural History Society

Bombay Natural History Society
Elroy Serrao · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Bombay Natural History Society
Founded	8 September 1883
Founder	Seth Cursetjee Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, W. S. Millard, G. M. v. D. Graeff
Type	Non-governmental organization
Location	Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Focus	Conservation biology, Ornithology, Mammalogy, Herpetology

Bombay Natural History Society The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) is an Indian non-governmental organization established in 1883 in Bombay to study and conserve wildlife and natural history across South Asia. Founded by naturalists and civic figures of colonial British India, it became a hub for field research, species documentation, and conservation advocacy intersecting with institutions such as the Zoological Survey of India, Indian Museum, and international bodies like the World Wide Fund for Nature and IUCN. Over more than a century its members and associates — including prominent figures linked to Salim Ali, S. Dillon Ripley, and E. H. Aitken — shaped scientific understanding of Indian subcontinent biodiversity and influenced policy across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Assam, and other regions.

History

The Society was inaugurated on 8 September 1883 by founders with ties to Bombay Naturalist circles and colonial-era networks involving British India administrators, merchants from Parsi community leadership, and military officers returning from postings in Rajputana and Bengal Presidency. Early contributors included collectors and correspondents who exchanged specimens and notes with institutions such as the Natural History Museum, London, Royal Society, and Linnean Society of London. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries BNHS members published field observations that intersected with expeditions to Western Ghats, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Kaziranga, collaborating with figures linked to the Indian Forest Service and authors connected to Faunal Surveys of India. In the mid-20th century, activities aligned with conservation milestones including commentary on laws influenced by the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and partnerships with conservationists in the tradition of Salim Ali and Sonam Wangchuk-era activists. Post-independence, BNHS expanded research networks to include universities like University of Bombay, Banaras Hindu University, and international research centers such as Smithsonian Institution and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Organization and Governance

BNHS governance follows a council-based model with elected officers and specialized committees reflecting ties to academia and conservation NGOs such as WWF-India and Conservation International. Its leadership has historically included professionals associated with Bombay Naturalist editorial boards, curators from the Prince of Wales Museum (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya), and officers who liaised with the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Committees oversee scientific programs in ornithology, marine biology, and herpetology, and coordinate collaborations with research grants from bodies like the National Geographic Society and the Department of Biotechnology, India. The society’s membership comprises field biologists, museum curators, and citizen scientists drawn from networks including alumni of St. Xavier's College, Mumbai and professional societies such as the Zoological Society of London.

Research and Conservation Programs

BNHS runs long-term monitoring projects in landscapes linked to Western Ghats, Sundarbans, and Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, partnering with regional authorities in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Programs target species documented in early BNHS monographs and modern assessments contributing to the IUCN Red List process, with survey teams publishing updates on taxa like Elephas maximus, Panthera tigris tigris, Rhinoceros unicornis, and endemic avifauna historically studied by Salim Ali. Conservation interventions include habitat restoration projects aligned with statutes influenced by the Forest Conservation Act, community-based programs in tribal areas interacting with NGOs such as The Energy and Resources Institute and capacity building with institutions like Wildlife Institute of India. BNHS also conducts marine surveys in the Lakshadweep and Gulf of Mannar regions, contributing data to networks including International Union for Conservation of Nature and regional conservation initiatives connected to Convention on Biological Diversity commitments.

Publications and Communications

The Society publishes a peer-reviewed journal and periodicals that historically influenced naturalists and policymakers, with continuing features related to surveys, species accounts, and conservation policy commentary. Seminal works and field guides emanating from its researchers are cited alongside monographs by authors associated with Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and regional publishers connected to Orient Longman. BNHS communications maintain partnerships with media outlets and scientific platforms linked to Nature, Science, and popular science writers from The Times of India and The Hindu. Educational bulletins, photographic records, and checklist compilations contribute data to global aggregators such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and national repositories including the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Facilities and Collections

The Society’s headquarters in Mumbai houses specimen collections, a library, and archival materials with historical correspondence connected to collectors who worked in Himalayas, Deccan Plateau, and Northeast India. Collections include ornithological skins, mammal specimens, herpetological series, and insect holdings documented against catalogues used by researchers at Zoological Survey of India and curators at the Natural History Museum, London. Its library contains rare volumes and journals with provenance linking to figures active in the Victorian naturalist movement and exchanges with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The BNHS also maintains field stations and collaborates on reserve management in areas administered by state agencies in Maharashtra and Goa.

Education and Outreach

BNHS conducts training workshops, citizen science programs, and school outreach in collaboration with educational institutions such as University of Mumbai and NGOs including Pratham-linked initiatives. Programs encompass identification skills, field survey techniques, and conservation awareness campaigns engaging communities near protected areas like Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Bannerghatta National Park. The society organizes lectures featuring academics from Indian Institute of Science, practitioners from Wildlife Trust of India, and photographers whose work appears in exhibitions with partners such as the National Centre for the Performing Arts (India). Through mentorship and internships, BNHS fosters links between emerging researchers and established laboratories at institutions including Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and regional museums.

Category:Natural history societies Category:Organisations based in Mumbai Category:Conservation in India