Professor

Dr. K. Sivakumar is presently working as a Professor in the Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University. He has experience of teaching, training and research in wildlife sciences stretching over three decades. Prior to joining the Pondicherry University in January, 2022, he has 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 the Nicobar megapode that he has been continuing till now. At WII, he has 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 has involved in the preparations of 5^th National Biodiversity Report and the 3^rd National Wildlife Action Plan of India. Dr Sivakumar was one of the pioneer 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 has published more than 150 research papers/reports in both international and national journals, and supervised about 30 Post Graduate and eight Ph. D students. He was the Nodal Officer for CITES and CMS cells of Wildlife Institute of India and use to advice the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on these subjects. He has 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. He has twice received UNITAR Fellowship and Netherlands Fellowship (NFP).

 

His current research and teaching involves understanding species distribution pattern, species ecology, behavioural ecology, aquatic biology and conservation biology.