DMR (Devavrat) Pawar

I am a conservation biologist working with WWF-India and registered as a PhD candidate with the University of Wageningen, Netherlands (WEC group). My research focuses on predator-prey dynamics in a multi-use landscape.

I focus my work in India’s human-dominated landscapes in the Terai (the foothills of the Himalayas) and beyond, where several million people co-occur with or live in proximity to wildlife. For the past three years, I have conducted extensive field surveys comprising camera trapping, Line transects, vegetation plots & sign surveys in an area which is dominated by humans. With my research, I hope to bring global attention to this vulnerable and fragile region to help protect its flora and fauna.

My research investigates the mechanisms that enable ungulates and large carnivores to successfully utilize resources within habitats that have been disturbed by humans. Ultimately, this knowledge will help us better understand co-adaptation of humans and large mammals, refine wildlife estimation methodologies, highlight the importance of communities in wildlife conservation, and contribute to strategic conservation planning.