Chhau dance has always been Purulia’s way of telling stories: through towering masks, sweeping leaps and the pulse of drums. It is how the region celebrates heroes, spirits, seasons, and the everyday life of this land.

So when HEAL began Protecting Purulia’s Carnivores — a community-led conservation program supported by @wwfindia‘s Conservation Catalyst Programme, we turned to this familiar stage to talk about something unfamiliar: Purulia’s wolves, hyenas, jackals, foxes and leopards.

Instead of workshops or lectures, we worked with local Chhau artists to create new storylines that blend folklore with ecology and use dance to gently challenge the fears and misconceptions that surround these rarely seen but deeply important carnivores.

Through a dance form that belongs entirely to the community, conservation messages are landing in a way that feels natural and not imposed.

Protecting Purulia’s Carnivores

Since 2024, with support from WWF India’s Conservation Catalyst Program, HEAL has been working in Purulia as a pilot landscape — testing community-driven approaches that can guide conservation efforts across the plateau. Our goal is simple: build coexistence rooted in local knowledge, cultural pride and collective stewardship.

Apart from the use of cultural expressions like the Chhau dance, our other initiatives include:

• Building awareness about lesser-known species through documentary screenings, village outreach and school programmes.
• Community-led Conservation Surveillance — local residents monitoring and reporting threats in real time.
• Seed Goat Bank — a community support system that helps families cope with livestock loss.
• Partnerships with the Forest Department and local administration — addressing hunting and improving rapid response.

What we are learning in Purulia goes beyond one district. It offers a pathway for coexistence across the Chota Nagpur Plateau where people and carnivores continue to share the same fragile landscapes.