Who is conservationist Radheshyam Bishnoi, why his death is a loss for Rajasthan wildlife

Four people, including wildlife conservationist Radheshyam Bishnoi and a forest department staffer, died in a tragic road accident on Friday night. The group was travelling in a camper that collided with a truck in Lathi Police Station limits near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

जैसलमेर के लाठी में सड़क हादसे में 4 लोगों की दुःखद मृत्यु का समाचार अत्यंत पीड़ादायक है।

शोकाकुल परिवारों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं।

ईश्वर दिवंगत आत्माओं को अपने श्रीचरणों में स्थान दें, परिजनों को यह अपार दुःख सहने की शक्ति प्रदान करें एवं घायलों को शीघ्र स्वस्थ करें।

ॐ…

— Mahant Partap Puri (@PratapPuriJi) May 23, 2025

The accident killed all passengers in the camper. Police used a crane to extract the bodies from the damaged vehicle. Ambulances took the deceased to Pokhran Hospital. Bishnoi and his team were on their way to investigate reports of deer hunting in the area.

What happened near Jaisalmer?

Radheshyam Bishnoi was traveling with Bagduram Vishnoi, Kawaraj Singh Bhadaria, and forest department staffer Surendra Chaudhary on Friday night. They were heading towards a forest area after receiving reports of deer poaching.

The group was traveling in a camper vehicle when it collided with a truck on the highway under Lathi Police Station limits, near Jaisalmer. The impact of the crash was severe, and all four were trapped inside the damaged vehicle.

Police arrived at the scene shortly after the accident was reported. A crane was used to recover the bodies from the wreckage. Ambulances transported the deceased to Pokhran Hospital.

Local leaders and residents expressed sorrow over the incident. Jaisalmer MLA Chhotu Singh Bhati and Pokhran MLA Mahant Pratap Puri described the loss as deeply painful and a setback to wildlife conservation efforts in the region.

Who is conservationist Radheshyam Bishnoi?

Radheshyam Bishnoi, 28 years old, was a respected wildlife conservationist, animal rescuer, and photographer from Pokhran, Rajasthan. Raised in the Bishnoi community, he began rescuing injured animals as a child. This early work led him to train at the Jodhpur Rescue Centre, where he learned basic veterinary care and rescue techniques.

He later returned to his native region to focus on protecting the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), a critically endangered bird native to the Thar Desert. Bishnoi regularly monitored GIB habitats, cleaned railway tracks to prevent vulture deaths, and built a network of local volunteers to report poaching. He also worked closely with the Ecology, Rural Development and Sustainability Foundation under the mentorship of Dr. Sumit Dookia.

Bishnoi received the Young Naturalist Award in 2021 and was later named a Mud on Boots Project Leader by Sanctuary Asia. His work was not limited to bustards—he rescued chinkaras, nilgais, vultures, and other local species, often using his own resources.

His dream was to establish a full-fledged wildlife rescue center in Jaisalmer. He believed in community-based conservation and often said that only locals can truly protect their land and wildlife. His work brought him respect across Rajasthan, especially among the Bishnoi community, which sees wildlife protection as a sacred duty.

His death is not only a personal tragedy but a major blow to grassroots conservation in western India.

Sumit Dookia, a wildlife biologist and mentor to Bishnoi, expressed profound grief over the loss. “Last night, we lost our flag bearer of the GIB Community Conservation Program in a fatal road accident. Even up to the last breath, he was with an anti-poaching patrolling team. Radhe Bishnoi, you gone too early my boy. A true martyr,” he said.

Condolences came from across the state and beyond. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said, “It is deeply painful to hear about the deaths of Radheshyam Pemani, Shyamlal Bishnoi, Kanwar Singh, and forest department employee Surendra Choudhary in a tragic road accident in Jaisalmer’s Lathi area. They were committed to protecting the environment and wildlife.”

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