Maheswar Basumatary was forced into poaching animals in the 90s when as a 19-year-old he faced the daunting prospect of supporting his family during the days of Bodo insurgency.

But Basumatary soon came to realise the risks involved in poaching and was overcome by the helplessness of the animals. He ultimately turned away from it to become a passionate protector of wildlife and environment.

Known as 'Ontai' among his associates, Basumatary said since he knew the ins and outs of the Manas sanctuary very well, his service was sought by the poachers.

"I was married at the age of 19 and without any means to support my family, I had no way-out, but to join the poachers. My wife, however, left me when she found out that my source of income was not honest," he regretted.

Political situation in the region began to improve and in 2005 he surrendered before the authorities of the Forest Department and Bodoland Territorial Council.

He embarked on his new journey when he joined one of the Community-based Organisations (CBO), tasked with reviving the Manas National Park.

The one he joined at Kachugaon was named as Green Forest Conservation.

"We were looking for someone to help us with the Clouded Leopard Rehabilitation Project. We needed someone who was not only familiar with the landscape, but really knew about the animals, their habitat, and their behaviour. We struck gold with Basumatary," the regional head of the International Fund for Animal Welfare-Wildlife Trust of India (Northeast India), Dr Bhaskar Choudhury, said.

Basumatary was a very disciplined person who knew the landscape, understood the project and was a team player who quickly learnt how to use a GPS or the nuances of a radio collar, Choudhury said.

Besides, he was an excellent tracker who shared a good rapport with the Bhutanese, which came "handy for us as we tracked the clouded leopards all the way to the other side of the border".