Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment

Graduate Student, Conservation Science

About

I have a bachelors degree in Zoology from Presidency College, Kolkata. After my graduation, I went on to do my Post Graduation in Wildlife Science from the Wildlife Institute of India.
My MSc dissertation looked at “Resource utilization by the Indian fox (Vulpes bengalensis) in Kutch, Gujarat”. This canid though known to be common is endemic to the Indian subcontinent and has received little attention in terms of scientific research. My study provided the first intensive information on the denning ecology and  diet of this species in a semi arid landscape.
Soon after I finished my Masters, I got involved in the “All India Tiger Monitoring Exercise”, an MOEF and Project Tiger initiative, where I helped design and implement a camera trap study in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve apart from conducting prey surveys, carnivore sign surveys and vegetation sampling.
I joined the National Centre for Biological Sciences, in May 2007. I was primarily associated with two projects 1.“Phylogeography of the Indian populations of jungle cat (Felis chaus) and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis)” and
2. “Conflict resolution and leopard conservation in a human dominated landscape in Maharashtra”
which involved generating genetic information using a combination of mitochondrial and nuclear markers. I was also associated in the design and implementation of a rapid protocol for canid species identification using PCR RFLP technique.
I joined ATREE in 2009 as a Graduate student. As a part of my PhD research, I am interested to look at dispersal biology of fleshy fruiting species in semi arid habitats. I am also keen to explore the role of canids as potential dispersers in such a habitat and how mammal generated seed rain explain spatial distribution of fruiting species.

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