2023-07-11 by Bakul Piplani
IndiaAsksWhy Meets Mihir Trivedi
Tigers are among the most majestic wild cats that prowl the forests. What’s more, they are the only wild cats with stripes on their bodies! Did you know that tigers not only have striped fur but also striped skin? In this episode of IndiaAsksWhy, Utsuka and Jigyasa explore how tigers develop striped skin. Fun fact: the stripes on a tiger’s skin are as unique as a human’s fingerprints!
You are probably wondering why tigers have stripes. Well, the stripes serve as a form of camouflage, that is, they help tigers hide by blending in with their environment. But why would such fearsome predators need to hide and who do they hide from? To understand the purpose of stripes on a tiger’s body, Utsuka and Jigyasa speak with Dr. Mihir Trivedi, a wildlife biologist at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad. Dr. Trivedi explains that stripes help tigers to blend into the grasses and bushes and hide from their prey so that they can hunt effectively without alerting their prey.
Did you know that wildlife biologists like Dr. Trivedi carry out important research studies that can help drive wildlife conservation efforts? Wildlife conservation is not only ecologically and economically beneficial for us but is also a moral responsibility and is vital for saving our planet Earth from destruction. Curious to know more about wildlife biologists? Did you know that wildlife biologists actually live in forests for their studies on wild animals? They use both experimental and observational approaches to study wild animals like tigers. You’re probably wondering how scientists study these scary wild animals? Dr. Trivedi explains that they record the behaviour of animals in the wild using camera traps and analyze animal DNA to study them at a molecular level. Dr. Trivedi's lab studies the effects of human-inflicted habitat damage on endangered wild animals using tools of evolution and genetics.
Curious to know how Dr. Trivedi ended up studying wild animals? His interest in animal evolution and genetics dates back to class XI. It was a question in the chapter on genetics in the NCERT Biology textbook that captured his curiosity, the question being “Have you ever wondered why an elephant always gives birth only to a baby elephant and not to some other animal?”. As a history buff who is also interested in biology, Dr. Trivedi was fascinated with the concepts of genetics, evolution and developmental biology. So, after completing a bachelors in biology and a masters in genetics, he decided to explore his interests and eventually joined the research group of Dr. G Umapathy at CCMB to study Hoolock Gibbons in the forests of northeast India. For his research, Dr. Trivedi collects hair, fecal and urine samples from the forests, extracts DNA from the samples and analyzes the DNA to study the genetic diversity of Hoolock Gibbons.
Dr. Trivedi urges all budding scientists and science enthusiasts to read as much as possible. Reading on diverse topics helps develop thinking and discover interests. Also, he emphasizes that embracing early confusions about subjects of interest are key to discovering one’s genuine interests. Dr. Trivedi took an unconventional journey to explore his interests in genetics and biology. He did short term research stints on various topics, including cancer biology, stem cell biology, structural biology, neuroscience and diabetes, but eventually ended up finding his true calling as a wildlife biologist. He encourages future scientists to experiment with their careers if they can, until they find their true interests.
So, stay curious, keep exploring and keep listening to Utsuka and Jigyasa as they unearth the mystery behind the stripes on a tiger’s body, and chat with Dr. Mihir Trivedi about his interesting research journey and his exciting work as a wildlife biologist!
References:
- ‘The Conversation: Why Do Tigers Have Stripes?’ in News, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (23rd November, 2020) https://news.utk.edu/2020/11/23/the-conversation-why-do-tigers-have-stripes/
- ‘Why Do Tigers Have Stripes?’ Cathy Brown. Natural Habitat Adventures (25th April, 2022) https://www.nathab.com/blog/why-do-tigers-have-stripes/
- Cite the blog on segment 1 of the podcast.
- Mihir Trivedi: Trailing the only apes of India. https://www.ccmb.res.in/docs/zines/Trailing_the_only_Apes_of_India.pdf
- ‘Chapter 5: Principles of Inheritance and Variation’ in Biology Textbook for Class XII (2022-23) by the NCERT. https://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/lebo105.pdf
