They were the companions of emperors and the ghosts of the Indian grasslands. Then, they were gone.
In this episode of Simply Wild, we uncover the epic history of the Asiatic cheetah—from its golden age as a royal hunting partner in the Mughal Empire to the tragic silence that followed its extinction in the wild.
But the story doesn't end there. We dive into the ambitious, high-stakes, and controversial world of "Project Cheetah," asking the question: can a ghost truly be brought back to life?
This is a story of speed, power, history, and hope. A story you won't want to miss.
Follow Simply Wild for more incredible stories from the intersection of wildlife and history.
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A king without a kingdom. A roar on the verge of silence. The Asiatic lion, a symbol of Indian royalty for millennia, was hunted to the brink of extinction. By the early 1900s, fewer than 20 survived in a single forest. The end seemed inevitable.
But then, one man made a choice that changed history.
In this episode of Simply Wild, we uncover the dramatic story of the Gir lions and the one ruler, Nawab Mahabat Khanji II, whose revolutionary ban on hunting sparked one of the world's greatest conservation comeback stories.
Journey with mem from the edge of extinction to a thriving population of nearly 700, and explore the challenges that still face these magnificent animals today. This is a story of loss, legacy, and the fierce hope of survival.
🌏 New to Simply Wild? This podcast dives into “Wildlife in History,” where the natural world and human stories collide in unexpected ways.
👉 Got a wild history story or animal moment worth sharing? Reach out — your idea might be the next episode!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simply.wild.podcast
{Asiatic Lion, Wildlife Conservation, Indian History, Simply Wild Podcast, Gir Forest, Endangered Species, Nawab of Junagadh, Conservation Success Story, Indian Wildlife, Wildlife Documentary, Wildlife History, Save the Lions}
They weren’t just jewels and gold. They were the heart of an empire. In this episode of Simply Wild, we uncover the incredible story of the Peacock Throne, a masterpiece with priceless gems, crafted by Emperor Shah Jahan to symbolize Mughal power and glory. From its breathtaking construction to its daring theft during a brutal invasion, we trace how this lost treasure became one of history’s greatest mysteries.
This isn’t just a tale of lost riches; it’s a story of how a wild bird inspired a symbol of empire that still echoes in India’s history.
🎧 Listen now to explore:
The true story behind the Peacock Throne’s dazzling design
How Mughal India projected power through this legendary treasure
The Persian conquest that stole the throne—and changed history
Why the peacock lives on as India’s national symbol
🌏 New to Simply Wild?
This podcast dives into “Wildlife in History,” where the natural world and human stories collide in unexpected ways.
👉 Got a wild history story or animal moment worth sharing? Reach out — your idea might be the next episode!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simply.wild.podcast/
[Peacock Throne, Mughal Empire, lost treasures, Shah Jahan, Koh-i-Noor, Persian invasion, Indian history, wildlife in history, Simply Wild podcast]
They weren’t just horses. They were war machines.In this episode of Simply Wild, we uncover how two wildly different breeds, the loyal Marwari and the fast, powerful Turkic warhorses, rewrote the fate of Indian kingdoms. From Maharana Pratap's brave steed Chetak to Babur’s thunderous cavalry, we track how hooves redrew borders and dethroned emperors.
This is not just a story of animals in history, it's the story of how horsepower literally shaped the rise and fall of empires.
🎧 Listen now to explore:
How horse breeds influenced Indian warfare
The legend of Chetak and the Rajput warrior bond
Why Mughal victories were powered by cavalry
The cultural legacy of native Indian horses
🌏 New to Simply Wild?This podcast digs deep into “Wildlife in History” where forgotten animals take center stage in shaping human stories.
👉 Got a wild history story or animal moment worth sharing? Reach out — your idea might be the next episode!
Instagram: simply.wild.podcast
[Warhorses in Indian history, Rajput cavalry, Mughal cavalry, Marwari horse, Indian horse breeds, Babur Panipat, Maharana Pratap Chetak, medieval Indian warfare, Simply Wild podcast, wildlife and history]
Why did India’s vultures vanish overnight? What caused one of the fastest bird population collapses in history?
In this gripping episode of Simply Wild, we unpack the chilling true story behind India’s vulture crisis — a mysterious disappearance that baffled scientists and devastated ecosystems.
From sacred sky burials to a killer veterinary drug, we dive deep into how diclofenac, a common painkiller, nearly drove the White-rumped Vulture, Indian Vulture, and Slender-billed Vulture to extinction.
🧠 Learn about:
The vital role vultures play in India’s ecosystem
The cultural importance of vultures in Parsi traditions
How science solved the mystery behind their mass deaths
What it takes to bring back a species from the brink
🦅 If you love stories about wildlife, environmental science, and untold Indian history, this one’s for you.
👉 Got a wild history story or animal moment worth sharing? Reach out — your idea might be the next episode!
Instagram: simply.wild.podcast
Can a name change the course of history?
In this hilarious yet sobering episode of Simply Wild, we dive into the bizarre true stories behind two legendary birds — the Great Indian Bustard and the Dodo — and how their unfortunate names may have played a part in their tragic fates.
You’ll learn:
Why India almost chose a bird with a risky-sounding name as its national symbol
How European sailors gave the Dodo a name that meant “fool” — then wiped it out
What these names reveal about power, extinction, and our strange relationship with wildlife
From colonial misnaming to modern ecological guilt, this is the episode that proves one thing:
Words matter. Sometimes, fatally.
🎧 Simply Wild is your weekly wildlife x history fix — strange stories, told fast.
New episodes drop every Tuesday.
(Dodo extinction, Great Indian Bustard national bird, funny animal names, how animals got their names, wildlife podcast India, Simply Wild podcast, Mansab wildlife stories, birds and extinction, history of animal names, bizarre animal history)
What do Mughal emperors and modern fighter pilots have in common?
Falcons.
In this episode of Simply Wild, we trace the incredible story of falconry in India — from Emperor Akbar’s elite aerial hunting departments to Jahangir’s obsession with painting his prized birds. These weren’t just hunting companions; they were political gifts, power symbols, and feathered missiles trained to kill at 300 km/h.
Discover how birds of prey once ruled Mughal skies — and what happened when empire and tradition began to fall.
Under 10 minutes. Wild. Beautiful. Brutal.
🎧 Written and hosted by Mansab – writer, wildlife researcher, and full-time chaos wrangler of forgotten animal stories.
Long before wildlife documentaries, India had a real-life predator problem.
In this episode of Simply Wild, we dive into the chilling true story of the Champawat tiger — a man-eating predator that claimed over 400 lives in the hills of Kumaon.
As entire villages lived in fear, one man was called to track her down: Jim Corbett.
Part true crime, part wildlife thriller, this is the story of one of the deadliest animals in history — and the man who risked everything to stop her.
🎙️ Hosted by Mansab — writer, researcher, and your guide to the wildest corners of history.
🎧 New episodes every week, each under 15 minutes.
Forget barking guard dogs or playful pets — India’s royal hounds were bred for war, speed, and prestige.
In this episode of Simply Wild, we uncover the elite canine athletes of Indian history — from the imported Salukis of the Mughal court to the desi champions of the Deccan and North India. These sighthounds weren’t just fast. They were status. Strategy. Symbols of who ruled the land — and how.
From desert arrivals to desi rivals, this is the untold tale of how dogs helped emperors hunt, dominate, and define their kingdoms. It’s a high-speed chase through art, identity, and the wildest royal PR campaign of the past.
🎙️ Hosted by Mansab — writer, wildlife researcher, and your guide to the secret animal stories hiding in history’s margins.
🎧 All episodes under 15 minutes. All stories simply wild.
Before steel, before gunpowder — India had a secret weapon. And it walked on four legs.
In this premiere episode of Simply Wild, we explore the forgotten, massive role of the Indian elephant in shaping the subcontinent’s history.
From the ancient war manuals of Chanakya to the thunderous standoff at the Battle of Hydaspes, where Alexander the Great met his match, this isn’t just animal trivia — it’s empire-altering power, tusk-first.
We dive into elephant warfare, royal forests, the Hastyadhyaksha system, and one chilling truth:
Sometimes, history wasn’t written by kings. It was carved by giants.
🎙️ Hosted by Mansab – writer, researcher, and guy who believes history’s best characters weren’t always human.
🎧 Short. Wild. Unexpected.
This is where history gets wild — and the wild gets a history.
Step into the untamed chapters of history where the real power players had tusks, claws, wings and sometimes a vendetta.
Simply Wild is a high-energy storytelling podcast that unearths the most unexpected, animal-powered tales from India's past. Hosted by writer and wildlife researcher Mansab (Hey, that's me), this show dives into forgotten stories where elephants shaped empires, horses decided battles, and tigers terrified valleys.
Each episode is under 15 minutes—perfect to finish before your chai cools.
Fast, fierce, and wild as hell.
What if I told you that some of the most important players in history… weren’t human?
I’m Mansab — a wildlife researcher, writer, and lifelong story guy. Simply Wild is my way of bringing two obsessions together: the natural world, and the strange, forgotten corners of human history.
In each episode, I tell you one wild, true story where animals shaped our world — sometimes as weapons, sometimes as omens, and sometimes as the reason empires rose or fell.
We’ll meet royal elephants that decided the fate of dynasties, horses that carried revolutions, man-eating tigers that held entire villages hostage, and creatures whose stories have been buried beneath human ego for centuries.
This is not a lecture. There are no long-winded timelines or dry monologues here. Just 10 short episodes — each under 15 minutes — packed with chaos, curiosity, and bite-sized history you’ll actually remember.
If you love storytelling, mythology, nature, or just weird facts that make you sound smart at parties, this one’s for you.
Hit follow. New episodes every week.
Follow me on Instagram @SimplyWildPodcast
