Bhubaneswar: Biologist of Nandankanan Zoological Park Dr Rajesh Kumar Mohapatra has been selected for Prani Mitra Award 2020 under Biologist/Educationist category.
He will be conferred with the award during a virtual ceremony at Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) headquarters in New Delhi on October 5.
Mohapatra was selected for the award among 150 nominations under the award category. Mohapatra’s present research interests include conservation breeding and soft release of Indian pangolin, species recovery of gharials, zoo animal behaviour, biology and welfare.
He is a member of IUCN-SSC CBSG and IUCN-SSC PangolinSG and is actively involved with pangolin conservation, research, management, education or trade, integrally involved in pangolin conservation policy or law, contribute to pangolin conservation and management.
He is associated with Nandankanan Zoological Park since 2012 when he began his career as a junior research fellow. He did his PhD in Life Sciences from Utkal University.
