Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology

What Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology does

Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology (KCRE) is an India-based private conservation education and field research organization founded in 2012 and operating across Karnataka and adjacent Western Ghats geographies. The company delivers a four-module experiential learning curriculum, Discovering Nature (ages 8-13), Ecology Explorers (ages 14-18), Applied Conservation (ages 18+), and Field-Centred Learning (adult learners), at partner farm venues (Chiguru Farm, Birds of Paradise) and at its primary rainforest field station in Agumbe. Specialized offerings include the STORM Certification Course in snake rescue and reptile handling (delivered in Chennai and Mysuru via Bay of Life Foundation partnership), a Basic Online Course in Snake Ecology delivered via Google Meet, the VRM Safe Campus Program (a quote-based enterprise service for factories, ports, townships, and campuses), and a direct-to-consumer Snakes of India Flash Cards product (54 species, Rs. 500).

Underlying technical content is rooted in the founder P. Gowri Shankar's two decades of king cobra radio telemetry research, 11+ peer-reviewed publications, and 350+ field rescues, supplemented by phylogeographic DNA work on herpetofauna. The business model is a mix of professional services revenue (workshop registrations, STORM certification fees, online course fees, VRM enterprise contracts) and small e-commerce revenue (flash cards); pricing is largely pay-as-you-go with the VRM program on multi-year contracts. Distribution is hybrid: direct self-serve registration through kalingacre.com, partner-led delivery in Chennai and Mysuru, direct enterprise outreach for VRM, and the founder's personal social media presence (cumulative ~350,000 followers across Facebook and Instagram) drives top-of-funnel awareness. The team is small (1-10 employees), founder-led, and operates without disclosed external institutional funding.

Name

Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology

Legal name

KCRE

Website

https://kalingacre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology (KCRE) is an India-based conservation education and field research organization founded in 2012 that delivers rainforest ecology workshops, snake rescue certification, and venomous reptile management services for schools, individuals, and enterprise campuses, anchored by founder P. Gowri Shankar's two decades of king cobra research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Certification & Training Providers (Wilderness First Aid, Lifeguard, Guide Training) (THAAAOAF), Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Conservation education programs
• Wildlife ecology training
• Snake rescue certification
• Rainforest field studies
• Human wildlife coexistence

Headquarters

HQ city

Bengaluru

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Conservation Education Programs: Revenue from experiential learning workshops and camps for various age groups including Discovering Nature (ages 8-13), Ecology Explorers (ages 14-18), Applied Conservation (ages 18+), and Field-Centred Learning programs. Programs are delivered at farm venues and rainforest locations with accommodation and meals included.
2. STORM Certification Course: Two-day intensive workshop on snake rescue and reptile appreciation conducted in Chennai and Mysuru. Includes theoretical sessions, practical field training, educational materials, and donation to rescue operations. Maximum 25 participants per session.
3. Online Snake Ecology Course: Basic online course in snake ecology conducted via Google Meet, covering snake behavior, identification, first aid, and legal aspects. Rs. 1,950 per participant.
4. Snakes of India Flash Cards: Educational flash card product sold through the website shop. India's first educational flashcard-based game about snakes with 54 Indian snake species, real field images, 14 information points, and 3 game plays. Priced at Rs. 500 plus GST and shipping.
5. VRM Safe Campus Program: Quote-based program offering campus assessment, training workshops, and maintenance checks for factories, ports, apartment complexes, and educational campuses to manage venomous reptile presence.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

KCRE delivers experiential conservation education programs across four age-structured modules (Discovering Nature for ages 8-13, Ecology Explorers for ages 14-18, Applied Conservation for ages 18+, and Field-Centred Learning for adult learners), conducted at rainforest and farm venues in Karnataka. The organization also offers the STORM Certification Course for snake rescue, an online Snake Ecology Course, the VRM Safe Campus Program for enterprises, and retails the Snakes of India Flash Cards educational product.

Product overview

Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology operates as an educational conservation organization offering a structured four-module experiential learning framework: Module 1 (Discovering Nature) for ages 8-13, Module 2 (Ecology Explorers) for ages 14-18, Module 3 (Applied Conservation) for ages 18+, and Module 4 (Field-Centred Learning) for adult learners. The center delivers specialized programs including the VRM Safe Campus Program for venomous reptile management, STORM Certification Course for snake rescue training, and an Online Snake Ecology Course. Additionally, the organization retails the Snakes of India Flash Cards, an educational product featuring 54 Indian snake species. Programs are conducted at locations including Agumbe, Bengaluru (Birds of Paradise, Chiguru Farm), Thirthahalli, Mysuru, Chennai, and Maharashtra (Mulshi), led by founder P. Gowri Shankar and team of herpetologists and researchers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STORM: Snake Training, Operations, Rescue, and Mitigation - A pioneering initiative for people who want to learn and appreciate reptiles, particularly focused on snake rescue and human-snake coexistence.
• VRM Safe Campus Program

Products and services

• Discovering Nature (Module 1)

Quantifiable outcome

• 350+ king cobras rescued and relocated from distress situations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bay of Life FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBay of Life Foundation, Chennai-based outdoor science organization founded by Showkath Jamal, co-hosts STORM Chennai workshops. Bay of Life handles registrations for Chennai programs through their platform while KCRE provides the curriculum, training materials, and expert facilitators.
• Chiguru FarmminorOthersFarm venue located in Kanakapura that hosts Wild Calling program for school children. Provides accommodation, organic vegetarian meals, and nature experience setting for outdoor education programs.
• Birds of ParadiseminorOthersFarm venue on Kanakapura Road, Bengaluru hosting Animal Farm and EcoHERP programs. Provides venue facilities for reptile-focused experiential learning workshops.
• M. S. Balasubramania (Snake Shyam)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenowned snake rescuer and conservationist based in Mysuru, featured by National Geographic and Discovery Channel. Joins STORM Mysuru workshop as co-facilitator, sharing insights from decades of snake rescue work and promoting human-snake coexistence.
• Green Works TrustminorOthersNGO led by Nikhil Rekha Milind Bhopale, wildlife expert and ornithologist. Bhopale serves as program expert for Monsoon Herping Experience, contributing expertise in natural history, ornithology, and herpetology.
• Dr. S.R. Ganesh and Mr. Chadramouli (Herpetologist Brothers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHerpetologists who verified content for the Snakes of India Flash Cards educational product. Their expertise ensured scientific accuracy of snake identification information and species details.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bay of Life Foundation: Chennai-based outdoor science organization founded by Showkath Jamal that co-hosts KCRE's STORM workshops. Directly comparable as a field-based experiential learning provider in India with similar target audiences and program formats.
• Wildlife Conservation Trust: India-focused conservation NGO running research and education programs across species and habitats. Comparable in mission and target audience (students, corporate donors) with overlapping conservation education offerings.
• Nature Conservation Foundation: India-based research and conservation organization known for science-driven wildlife education and Western Ghats fieldwork. Directly comparable in combining herpetological research, conservation education, and Western Ghats field programming.
• Centre for Wildlife Studies: India-based conservation education and capacity-building organization running field courses and conservation training. Comparable as a peer offering structured, science-grounded nature education programs in India.
• Green Works Trust: Wildlife and ornithology-focused NGO in India that partners with KCRE on the Monsoon Herping Experience. Comparable as a niche outdoor education provider with similar expert-led field programs.

Broad incumbents

• The Corbett Foundation: Established India-based conservation NGO with wildlife education and community programs. Comparable in conservation education and field engagement but operating at broader national scale than KCRE's Western Ghats focus.
• WWF India: Large established conservation organization running national conservation education programs. Comparable in conservation education mission but at much greater scale and with broader programmatic scope than KCRE's rainforest specialization.

Emerging players

• Pugdundee Safaris: Indian eco-tourism and nature lodge operator running wildlife experiences across central Indian reserves. Comparable in monetizing curated nature experiences for paying customers, though with broader wildlife and tourism focus.
• RoundGlass Sustain: India-based nature education and conservation storytelling platform with broader geographic reach. Comparable in audience (urban Indian nature enthusiasts) and content (wildlife education), though with a stronger digital focus.
• Toehold Travel: India-based wildlife photography and nature travel company running workshops and expeditions. Comparable in monetizing field-based nature experiences for paying customers, with overlap on experiential learning and conservation themes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KalingaCRE
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/kcrekalinga
• Facebookfacebook.com/KaalingaCRE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kalingacre
• Instagraminstagram.com/kalingacre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology