Our Team
Dr. Bhagawan Raj Dahal
Bhagawan started his career with an MSc research project on globally vulnerable Swamp Francolin. Together with the World Pheasant Association, he contributed significantly to the study methods and conservation of the species in Nepal. He completed an international master's on wetland birds followed by a PhD in forest landscapes and bird communities from the University of Queensland. He has worked with the National Trust for Nature Conservation, BirdLife Nepal, and Red Panda Network and currently is the Deputy Country Representative of ZSL's Nepal Office. He has contributed several outstanding papers to advance ornithological knowledge in the region.
Contact: bhagawan.dahal2@gmail.com
Laxman Prasad Poudyal
Laxman Prasad Poudyal has a master's degree in Rural Development and Natural Resource Management. He has 30 years of experience working in the civil sector in Nepal's several protected areas. Mr. Poudyal is a member of Bird Conservation Nepal, the IUCN/SSC Galliformes Specialist Group, as well as an honorary member of the Oriental Bird Club and the World Pheasant Association. He has published > 20 articles articles, five books related to conservation and contributed to national and international action plans and policies.
Contact: laxpoudyal@gmail.com
Dr. Tulsi Ram Subedi
Tulsi has a PhD in Biodiversity Conservation from Universiti Sains Malaysia and a master’ Degree in Zoology from Tribhuvan University Nepal. Since his academic project MSc, Tulsi has entered the field of raptor research and conservation. As a PhD project, he studied the movement ecology of the Bearded Vulture in the Himalayas of Nepal- which is the first satellite telemetry-based study on this species in the Asian range. Currently, Tulsi works as a Director of Programs at Himalayan Nature – a conservation research institute in Nepal. Tulsi brings over 15 years of experience in the field of birds and wildlife conservation and worked in Birdlife Nepal, Red Panda Network and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, USA. Tulsi has established the Nepal raptor conservation project and published >20 scientific articles and popular reports related to birds of prey and other wildlife.
Contact:tulsi.biologist@gmail.com
Raju Acharya
Raju Acharya has been working in the field of research and conservation for more than two decades and has experience in leading more than 20 projects including owl conservation projects throughout the country. Together with World Owl Trust (UK) and The Global Owl Project (USA), he contributed significantly to the research and conservation of owls in Nepal. He did his Masters in Environmental Management (Nepal), Tropical Forestry (Germany) and Agroforestry (UK). He is honoured with Special Achievement Award (USA) and National Wildlife Conservation Award (Nepal). He is interested in local knowledge, people, wildlife conflict, exploration of new locations and writing about conservation issues.
Contact: rajuhugu_13@yahoo.com
Manshant Ghimire
Manshant is the founder president of the Pokhara Bird Society, a leading bird conservation charity in Nepal. He has organized successful bird festivals in Nepal and is an e-bird reviewer for Gandaki province. He is a visiting lecturer at the Tribhuvan University, Institute of Forestry, Pokhara Campus, where he takes classes about ornithology and inspires hundreds of young conservationists. He is also a naturalist, has led several excursions into Nepal's various landscapes and is currently linked with Mountain Tiger Nepal Pvt. Ltd. An avid birder and photographer, Manshanta bring a wealth of expertise to NOU.
Contact: ebusuki@gmail.com
Hari Basnet
Hari Basnet has been active in the conservation field since 2013. He had a master's degree in zoology at Tribhuvan University and is currently pursuing a degree in M.A. in applied community change at Future Generation University. In addition, he is a part of FGU's Global Songs of Adaptation project, which focuses on bird bioacoustics. He is an IUCN SSC Galliformes Specialist Group member and he studies globally threatened species, including Cheer Pheasant and Wood Snipe. He has broadened his expertise in mammalian fauna by eight years of working with the Small Mammal Conservation and Research Foundation (SMCRF) and the IUCN, Nepal office for a couple of years. He is the former executive director of SMCRF, which focuses on the conservation of small mammals. He has published eight peer-reviewed articles, written two books, and worked as a technical member and reviewer for government action plans and policies.
Contact: haribasnet88@gmail.com
Sandesh Gurung
Sandesh Gurung has completed Master’s Degree in Zoology at Tribhuvan University Nepal. He has worked on the migration ecology of Himalayan Vulture for his Master's thesis. He is a passionate and young raptor biologist in Nepal who is now developing a career in Birds of Prey. Sandesh holds more than 10 years of experience working on Birds of Prey and co-authored a few articles on raptors. He brings expertise in migration monitoring, trapping and tagging raptors. His main area of interest includes the movement and breeding ecology of raptors, human raptor conflict and impacts of pesticides on these apex aerial predators. Also, he has a keen interest in raptor rescue and rehabilitation. Currently, he is focusing on the study of rare and threatened species, such as Mountain Hawk Eagle and Indian Spotted Eagle. Sandesh has also discovered Steppe Grey Shrike, a new bird species for Nepal.
Contact: sandeshgurung07@gmail.com
Sanjib Acharya
Sanjib is the president of the Koshi Bird Society, a bird conservation charity based near Koshi Tappu, in east Nepal. He is an Ebird reviewer for eastern Nepal. He has worked for a number of years with Himalayan Nature and has participated in several bird surveys and training. He was the manager of Kosi Bird Observatory for two years, 2011-2013. He became a professional birding guide. He operates many wildlife photographies, birdwatching and adventure tours in Nepal and India as a freelancer.
Contact: sanzeev.acharya@gmail.com
Aastha Joshi
Aastha Joshi holds a Masters' Degree in Environmental Science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. She has recently started her career with MSc dissertation on forest bird assemblages in different management regimes in Eastern Nepal. Her interest lies in biodiversity research, biodiversity conservation and conservation education.