Aparajita Datta

I do not view myself as a true blue ornithologist but I do work on hornbills – conspicuous forest birds. My team and I have been engaged in long-term research and monitoring on hornbills in North-east India and North Bengal (long-term monitoring of hornbill nesting, roosting, populations, research on frugivory and seed dispersal, human impacts/threats). Through a partnership with communities (Hornbill Nest Adoption Program) hornbill nests are protected outside a Protected Area. A forest restoration project and a nature education program is geared towards protecting bird/wildlife habitats by engaging with both government and communities. I am also the Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Hornbill Specialist Group which facilitates hornbill conservation and research globally. When I am not in the field, I enjoy watching and photographing birds in the city and making eBird lists. My interests are in plant–animal interactions in rainforests, tropical tree phenology, forest restoration, understanding human impacts on wildlife, and engaging with people for conservation.

Institution:
Nature Conservation Foundation
Department:
Eastern Himalaya Programme
Designation type:
Faculty/ PI/ Scientist at a University, Institute or NGO
Designation/Position:
Senior Scientist
State/Union Territory:
Karnataka
City/Town:
Bangalore
Primary focus:
Field
Primary area of study:
Conservation, Ecology--General, Ecology--Habitat ecology
Primary field sites:

Pakke Tiger Reserve and surrounding Reserved Forests, Arunachal Pradesh
Buxa Tiger Reserve, Mahananda WLS, Latpanchar, West Bengal
Dihing-Patkai WLS, Nameri TR, Assam

Opportunities:
Post-docs, Independent researchers
Futher information on opportunities:

Hiring of new people depends on funds and specific needs. New positions would be advertised on the NCF website.
Students can visit the NCF website to check available open positions before they write.
However, people at the post-doc level or independent researchers seeking opportunities/collaborations in common areas of interest may write enquiry letters to check on availability of positions.
Interns when hired are paid, however we would not take interns for short durations (< 3-4 weeks).