Dr K. Sivakumar presently working as a Professor in the Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University. Leads the courses related with Wildlife, Evolutionary Ecology, Animal Behavior, Coastal Zone Management, Conservation Biology, Marine Biology, Ornithology, Invasive Biology and Wildlife Techniques and Tools. Prior to joining the Pondicherry University in January, 2022, he worked as a Chief Scientist and Head, Department of Endangered Species Management in the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. He did his M.Sc. and MPhil., in Zoology from Pondicherry University and received Pondicherry University Gold Medals in both M.Sc. and M.Phil degrees. In 1995, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (India), selected him as the meritorious student of India. He has a Ph.D in Zoology from Bharathiar University. His first wildlife research was on the Breeding Behaviour of an endemic Nicobar megapode that he has been continuing till now. At WII, he involved in the research, teaching and training of postgraduate students, in-service forest officers and Ph.D. Scholars in animal behavior, wildlife techniques, aquatic biology, invasive species ecology, wildlife management and conservation biology. He could participate in the preparations of 5th National Biodiversity Report and the 3rd National Wildlife Action Plan of India as one of the Principal Investigator.He is happy to be the first one to initiate the capacity building programs to enhance the integrated management of marine protected areas in India especially for forest and fisheries sectors. He is a member of various International bodies including ‘World Commission on Protected Areas’, IUCN/SSC- Galliformes, Invasive Species, Marine Mammals, and Freshwater Fish Specialist Groups. Expert Advisor to NITI Aayog and MoEF&CC with respect to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) related to Marine Biodiversity and Marine Protected Areas.

Expert member to identify ‘Important Marine Mammals Areas of India’ (IUCN/CBD) and a Member of Informal Advisory Group (IAG) of CBD for ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs). So far, he could publish more than 180 research papers/reports in both international and national journals, and supervised about 100 Post Graduate and twelve Ph. D students. He was the Nodal Officer for CITES and CMS cells of Wildlife Institute of India and advice the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on these subjects. He was also involved in the preparations of the National Dugong Recovery Plan, National Marine Turtles Conservation Action Plan, DPR for Project Dolphin and National Marine Mammal Stranding Management Policy. Twice received UNITAR Fellowship and Netherlands Fellowship (NFP). Presently, a Member of the Programme Advisory Committee of SERB, Government of India and one of the Technical Advisors to UNEP-CMS Dugong MoU, Abu Dhabi. Acting as a Member of the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board as well as Technical Advisor to the Research Development of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. As a Member of the Curricula Area Group, helping NCERT to develop text books on ‘Environmental Education’.

Wildlife Science, Animal Behaviour, Conservation Biology, Marine Biodiveristy Conservation, Aquatic Biology