The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) is India's most respected NGO for nature conservation and research. It was formed in 1883.
The idea for the Jalchar app emerged after a tragic incident on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, where a stranded Blue Whale succumbed despite three days of relentless rescue efforts. Driven by their passion for nature and marine conservation, the creators vowed to prevent such losses from happening to other marine creatures in the future.
‘Jalchar’ (aquatic in English) is an innovative, user-friendly mobile app developed by Harrier for BNHS and The Mangrove Foundation. It’s designed to engage coastal fishing communities across India in marine conservation efforts by crowdsourcing data on sightings of marine megafauna like Whales, Dolphins, Turtles, Porpoises, Sharks, and Pelagic birds. This initiative provides invaluable data on species distribution and conditions, which aids researchers in conserving India’s diverse marine ecosystem.
India’s coastal waters host an array of critical marine species that support ocean health. However, many of these species are increasingly at risk due to climate change, habitat degradation, and other human impacts. Limited access to real-time data on their distribution and populations has hampered efforts to protect these species effectively. BNHS and The Mangrove Foundation needed a tool that could bridge this data gap and involve local communities actively in conservation.
Harrier created multilingual mobile app ‘Jalchar’ to be accessible, intuitive, and equipped with offline functionality. Users can document sightings with geolocation, images, and audio recordings, video recordings in real-time, even in areas without network access. Data is logged securely offline and automatically synced to the BNHS portal once a network connection is established. When a user reports a species in distress, the app alerts the appropriate zone-specific BNHS team, allowing for timely action. This reporting structure ensures vital, accurate data without requiring constant connectivity, a necessity in remote coastal regions.
Jalchar has already empowered local fishermen and coastal residents to contribute to conservation science by providing essential data on species sightings. This initiative enables BNHS to:
Track species population trends and migrations with real-time data,
Identify key marine habitats requiring protection.
Mobilize rescue teams effectively in response to distress alerts, and
Improve the scope and precision of conservation policies based on accurate data from the field.
Through Jalchar, BNHS and The Mangrove Foundation benefit from an ongoing data stream that informs strategic decisions, supports marine ecosystem protection, and builds community involvement in conservation. This project fosters a sense of stewardship among the fishing community, ensuring a more sustainable and conservation-focused interaction with marine life.
Jalchar embodies the power of collaboration by connecting local communities, scientific institutions, and government agencies. With each sighting reported, Jalchar builds a clearer picture of ocean health, fostering conservation efforts that protect marine biodiversity on both regional and global scales. Download Jalchar today and join India’s conservation movement—protecting marine life, one sighting at a time.