What comes to mind when you hear the word endangered animals? Chances are that like most people, you would think of forests or nature reserves. Did you know that 46 per cent of endangered species are in cities? Mumbai alone is home to 40 species of endangered birds. Aaditya Sengupta Dhar, a thirteen-year-old student at Ecole Mondiale World School in Mumbai, was spurred to action when he learned of this largely unknown issue of animal extinction occurring in our backyards. As he says, “I have always loved wildlife and the idea of existing in harmony with other animals. While I had barely heard of concepts like “conservation” until recently, a belief I strongly hold is that we humans should treat the living beings we share this Earth with fairly. When I was four years old, I turned vegetarian because of this reason, because I learned that the chicken and fish that I was eating were the same creatures I read about living on the farm and in the sea.”