{"id":15642,"date":"2026-09-21T11:12:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T11:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/?page_id=15642"},"modified":"2026-09-22T04:39:58","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T04:39:58","slug":"m-sc-programme","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/m-sc-programme\/","title":{"rendered":"M.Sc Programme"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"15642\" class=\"elementor elementor-15642\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84ee4bb e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"84ee4bb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f43c662 elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"f43c662\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><style>\n.sacon-students {\n    max-width: 1100px;\n    margin: 25px auto;\n    font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\n    color: #222;\n    line-height: 1.7;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .main-title {\n    background: #ffffff;\n    border-top: 5px solid #2a7e19;\n    border-radius: 12px;\n    padding: 25px 20px;\n    margin-bottom: 25px;\n    text-align: center;\n    box-shadow: 0 5px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.06);\n    border-left: 1px solid #e2e2e2;\n    border-right: 1px solid #e2e2e2;\n    border-bottom: 1px solid #e2e2e2;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .main-title h2 {\n    margin: 0;\n    color: #2a7e19;\n    font-size: 29px;\n    font-weight: 700;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .student-grid {\n    display: grid;\n    grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);\n    gap: 22px;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .student-card {\n    background: #ffffff;\n    border: 1px solid #e1e6df;\n    border-top: 4px solid #2a7e19;\n    border-radius: 12px;\n    overflow: hidden;\n    box-shadow: 0 5px 16px rgba(0,0,0,0.06);\n    transition: transform 0.25s ease, box-shadow 0.25s ease;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .student-card:hover {\n    transform: translateY(-4px);\n    box-shadow: 0 9px 24px rgba(0,0,0,0.10);\n}\n\n.sacon-students .student-image {\n    background: #f4f8f2;\n    padding: 15px;\n    text-align: center;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .student-image img {\n    width: 100%;\n    height: 280px;\n    object-fit: cover;\n    border-radius: 9px;\n    display: block;\n    cursor: pointer;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .student-content {\n    padding: 22px;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .student-name {\n    color: #2a7e19;\n    text-align: center;\n    font-size: 22px;\n    font-weight: 700;\n    margin: 0 0 16px;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .student-content p {\n    margin: 0 0 15px;\n    font-size: 15px;\n    text-align: justify;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .student-content p:last-child {\n    margin-bottom: 0;\n}\n\n.sacon-students .quote {\n    background: #f4f8f2;\n    border-left: 4px solid #2a7e19;\n    padding: 14px 16px;\n    border-radius: 7px;\n    font-style: italic;\n    text-align: center !important;\n}\n\n@media (max-width: 767px) {\n    .sacon-students {\n        margin: 15px auto;\n    }\n\n    .sacon-students .main-title {\n        padding: 20px 15px;\n    }\n\n    .sacon-students .main-title h2 {\n        font-size: 23px;\n    }\n\n    .sacon-students .student-grid {\n        grid-template-columns: 1fr;\n        gap: 18px;\n    }\n\n    .sacon-students .student-image {\n        padding: 12px;\n    }\n\n    .sacon-students .student-image img {\n        height: auto;\n        max-height: 400px;\n        object-fit: cover;\n    }\n\n    .sacon-students .student-content {\n        padding: 18px 15px;\n    }\n\n    .sacon-students .student-name {\n        font-size: 20px;\n    }\n\n    .sacon-students .student-content p {\n        font-size: 14px;\n        text-align: justify;\n    }\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"sacon-students\">\n\n    <div class=\"main-title\">\n        <h2>Profile of Students (2026 - 2028)<\/h2>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"student-grid\">\n\n        <!-- Bela Ratanjankar -->\n        <div class=\"student-card\">\n            <div class=\"student-image\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Bela-Ratanjankar.jpg\"\n                   target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Bela-Ratanjankar.jpg\"\n                         alt=\"Bela Ratanjankar\">\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"student-content\">\n                <h3 class=\"student-name\">Bela Ratanjankar<\/h3>\n\n                <p>\n                    Being raised in Pune, Maharashtra, the heart of Sahyadri always attracted me towards nature. From childhood watching documentaries on natgeo, discovery channel led me to pursue my graduation in zoology. During which I was exposed to various fields like molecular biology, genetics, developmental biology, ecology, etc. Out of all these wildlife science was the one that subject that interested me the most. That led me to being more vigilant while observing and being in nature and that is the reason I took up photography. While photographing nature and animals in my locality I started to wonder about their behaviour, how they communicate, their social structure and everything. Alao reading about the recent issues like wildlife conflict, habitat destruction lead me to want to work in the field of conservation. During my graduation the various field visits led me to wanting to work in this field, and also led to do some independent preliminary work in bird behaviour and food preferences in birds.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    I aim to sharpen my field skills, work on and with various animals and am keen to gain knowledge about more things. I intend to use my creative skills in the field of conservation in order to help animals and ensure that they survive and thrive in their own environment. I hope that this course at SACON will help me sharpen my skills and keep gaining knowledge that will help me achieve my goals in this field.\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n\n        <!-- Dattatreya Srinivas -->\n        <div class=\"student-card\">\n            <div class=\"student-image\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DATTATREYA-SRINIVAS.jpg\"\n                   target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DATTATREYA-SRINIVAS.jpg\"\n                         alt=\"Dattatreya Srinivas\">\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"student-content\">\n                <h3 class=\"student-name\">Dattatreya Srinivas<\/h3>\n\n                <p>\n                    I cannot imagine myself doing anything other than studying Wildlife Sciences. I have always wanted to be in forests, understanding ecosystems, plants and animals, exploring oceans and the remotest habitats in the world. Growing up in Bengaluru, Karnataka, I was inspired by people like Steve Irwin, Bear Grylls, Jeremy Wade, Jeff Corwin and, of course, the warm and legendary narration of Sir David Attenborough. They made a life devoted to exploring and understanding the natural world feel like the only life I wanted.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    After my Bachelor\u2019s, I actively sought experiences that would help me understand how natural ecosystems function. I began by working on a collaborative project in the Sholas of Bhadra Tiger Reserve, where I was introduced to Hyperspectral Remote Sensing. I then joined the Wildlife Institute of India, working on Carnivores and Ungulates in Karnataka and learning Camera Trapping and Interview-based occupancy surveys.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    I later worked as a Field Biologist with the Chhattisgarh Forest Department in Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve which is the 3rd largest Tiger reserve in India, conducting habitat assessments and camera trapping across the 2,800 sq. km landscape for the Tiger Conservation Plan. I also contributed to projects with the Haryana Forest Department and Karnataka State Government, including Biodiversity Assessments across the Western Ghats.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    Outside work, I rescue snakes, enjoy Herping and Birding, and I am an avid Scuba and Freediver. I am now incredibly excited to pursue my MSc at WII-SACON, where I hope to deepen my understanding of India\u2019s wildlife, habitats and ecosystems and learn how they function\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n\n        <!-- Dhananjay Patil -->\n        <div class=\"student-card\">\n            <div class=\"student-image\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Dhananjay-Patil.jpg\"\n                   target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Dhananjay-Patil.jpg\"\n                         alt=\"Dhananjay Patil\">\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"student-content\">\n                <h3 class=\"student-name\">Dhananjay Patil<\/h3>\n\n                <p>\n                    I come from Akola district of Maharashtra. Growing up watching wildlife-oriented channels such as Discovery, National Geographic and Animal Planet, I developed an early fascination with the natural world and a desire to pursue a career in the field. My interest in nature and wilderness was further deepened by the writings of Shri Maruti Chitampalli, the Padma Shri awardee, former forest officer and veteran naturalist.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    While pursuing my B.Sc. in Forestry, I was introduced to birdwatching. I soon realized that birds are ubiquitous and that observing wildlife does not always require visiting dense forests. This also made me appreciate the importance of urban campuses as habitats for biodiversity. I began actively documenting the avian diversity of my campus, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, which has twice been ranked first among Maharashtra\u2019s top birding hotspots during the Campus Bird Count.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    As part of my undergraduate dissertation, I conducted a basic ecological assessment of the campus\u2019s avian diversity. I have also participated in three major citizen-science biodiversity surveys across Maharashtra: a bird survey at Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve, a herpetofaunal survey at Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, and a butterfly survey at Pench Tiger Reserve.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    Through the MSc programme at SACON, I aspire to develop a deeper understanding of wildlife behaviour and ecology and contribute meaningfully to biodiversity conservation.\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n\n        <!-- Faizalraza Tajmohammad Sheikh -->\n        <div class=\"student-card\">\n            <div class=\"student-image\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/FAIZALRAZA.jpg\"\n                   target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/FAIZALRAZA.jpg\"\n                         alt=\"Faizalraza Tajmohammad Sheikh\">\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"student-content\">\n                <h3 class=\"student-name\">Faizalraza Tajmohammad Sheikh<\/h3>\n\n                <p>\n                    Growing up in the green landscapes of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, I was surrounded by biodiversity. While many children may have grown up surrounded by cartoons and concrete buildings, I was fortunate to grow up with the sights and sounds of the natural world around me. At the time, I did not realize that this environment would eventually decide my career path for me. Looking back, it seems the forests had already recruited me into conservation before I even knew what conservation meant.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    Completed my Bachelor of Science in Forestry (Honours), Sri Dev Suman Uttarakhand Vishwavidyalaya from Dehradun. My academic journey has helped me understand forests, wildlife, ecology and conservation more deeply. I got opportunity to work with Mussoorie Forest Dept., Dehradun Forest Dept., Dehradun Zoo and HESCO which was valuable for my knowledge enhancement.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    The opportunity contributed my interest in snakes which goes far beyond simply admiring them although, some people become significantly less comfortable when I say that. Snakes are fascinating and important indicators of ecosystem health, and their presence, distribution, behavior, and breeding patterns can reveal valuable information about environmental changes in forests and changing landscapes. They may not migrate across continents like birds, but they certainly know how to disappear exactly when you are trying to find them for a survey. I am particularly interested in learning more about snake ecology, for me, the challenge of studying snakes is part of the excitement: nature has a wonderful sense of humor, and sometimes the most fascinating species are also the ones that are least interested in being found.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    I have joined SACON to improve and sharpen myself and also my skills to fit in the conservation work.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    Today, that childhood connection has grown into a lifelong aspiration. I do not know exactly where every path of my career will lead, but I know that I want my work to remain connected to forests, wildlife, snakes and the people who depend on healthy ecosystems.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p class=\"quote\">\n                    \u201cIf God grants you a heart that understands nature, Create a living dialogue from the silence of tulips and flowers.\u201d ~ Chill Guy\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n\n        <!-- Gaurav -->\n        <div class=\"student-card\">\n            <div class=\"student-image\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gaurav.jpg\"\n                   target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gaurav.jpg\"\n                         alt=\"Gaurav\">\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"student-content\">\n                <h3 class=\"student-name\">Gaurav<\/h3>\n\n                <p>\n                    I\u2019m Gaurav, and if I\u2019m honest, none of this started with a plan. It started with trees. Back in 2020 I came across Swami Prem Parivartan aka Peepal Baba\u2019s work founder of Give Me Trees Trust and something about it just stayed with me I started growing saplings at home in old milk cartons, cycling water out to them every other day. I never cared about numbers, I just wanted every tree I planted to actually make it on its own. 35 of them are still standing today, 15 passed 15 feet now.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    Somewhere in all that, paying attention to my surroundings turned into paying attention to birds and started exploring birds around me and while searching for nearby hotspot\u2019s that\u2019s how I stumbled onto Basai Wetland 250 acres I had no idea existed until I started mapping biodiversity near home. I was in my second year of BSc when I watched its water being diverted for a highway project, and I just couldn\u2019t look away. A group of us birders, lawyers, conservationists dug through everything, old land records from the 80s and 90s, government files, anything we could find. I was on the ground for most of it, and being local myself, that\u2019s also how I found out the wetland actually sat on private land belonging to Basai villagers which meant things could get complicated, fast. Still, by January 2025, the wetland dried up completely.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    That loss changed something in me I stopped waiting for things to become emergencies. So I moved to Basai Village Pond next, running my own study on its water and birds. I finished my BSc Zoology Honours from Gurugram University in 2025 somewhere in between all of this.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    At SACON, I want to understand wetland ecosystems the way they actually work the water, the aquatic invertebrates, the plants, the riparian vegetation holding it all together and study waterbird communities as indicators of how healthy that whole system really is, because that\u2019s exactly what I\u2019ve been watching happen without knowing there was a name for it. Nature brought me this far on its own. Let\u2019s see where it takes me next.\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n\n        <!-- Guru Gupta -->\n        <div class=\"student-card\">\n            <div class=\"student-image\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Guru-Gupta-1.jpg\"\n                   target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Guru-Gupta-1.jpg\"\n                         alt=\"Guru Gupta\">\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"student-content\">\n                <h3 class=\"student-name\">Guru Gupta<\/h3>\n\n                <p>\n                    As soon as I gained consciousness, I started wondering why things happen the way they do. I wanted to know how nature worked, why different animals behaved the way they did, and even how life came into existence. All of this fascinated me, and I felt an inner curiosity to figure it all out. Growing up in Ghaziabad, a metropolitan city, I had very little access to nature and biodiversity. So, I started watching nature documentaries and saw how unexplored Earth was, from the deep-sea creatures about which we know remarkably little to and how evolution has diversified organisms and shaped their adaptations to their niches.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    Learning about snakes, I found them really fascinating and beautiful, but I got to know how misunderstood they were and how little to no threat they posed to humans if they were addressed properly. I saw how hated they were by many, but I didn\u2019t reciprocate that same feeling; rather, I wanted to figure out how I could reduce the conflict between snakes and humans.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    Michael Crichton\u2019s Jurassic Park was my First introduction to how biology interacts with wildlife, and my journey began from there. I got into the University of Delhi to study Zoology (Hons.), where I grabbed every opportunity I got, and I ended up working on what specific factors made free-ranging dogs bite humans in Delhi and how to reduce that conflict. After that, I got an opportunity to visit Rewa in Madhya Pradesh to work on Vulture populations. Learning about vultures really blew my mind, especially the red-headed vulture. We didn\u2019t see one until the very last day, when one suddenly circled above us, then disappeared into the horizon. This showed me the control nature has over us.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    I believe in conservation because nature does not need us, but we need nature. To be a sustainable species, we should conserve what we have and use it wisely, or we will soon cease to exist.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    I joined SACON to find answers to the questions that had fascinated me for years and, hopefully, to discover questions I had never thought to ask.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    Turns out, curiosity killed the cat but made me into a Wildlife Biologist.\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n\n        <!-- Krish Narayan -->\n        <div class=\"student-card\">\n            <div class=\"student-image\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Krish-Narayan.jpg\"\n                   target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sacon.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Krish-Narayan.jpg\"\n                         alt=\"Krish Narayan\">\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"student-content\">\n                <h3 class=\"student-name\">Krish Narayan<\/h3>\n\n                <p>\n                    From childhood I have been surrounded by nature and have admired its beauty, I loved seeing wild animals especially birds because my father used to feed birds in the backyard of our house and many birds would come, we would sit there for hours watching birds eat and play. We used to give them funny names based on their behavior or morphological characteristics, this is my first memory of bird watching and I still remember some birds by those weird names.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    After completing my 12th I had no idea about what I should pursue, but fortunately got admission in B.Sc.(Hons)Zoology at Ramjas College, University of Delhi. During my bachelors I got interested in the field of wildlife, I started with an insect documentation internship under a professor from my college, I volunteered for WWF and did many butterfly and dragonfly surveys. I also did a certificate course in \u2018Herpetology: a model for wildlife conservation\u2019 from Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, and listening to incredible stories of field work from my professors really inspired me.\n                <\/p>\n\n                <p>\n                    I was really confused at that time about what taxa should I focus on. Then one day I went for a bird walk and that was the day I got hooked to birding. It was like my dormant passion for birding surfaced, I started to regularly go for birding and volunteered for projects like the Delhi Bird Atlas and the Asian Waterbird Census, as I continued to work on birds my passion for them only grew. The M.Sc. Wildlife Sciences and Ornithology course at WII-SACON is like a dream. I am really interested to learn about birds and their behavior and I believe that I will have a really great time here at WII-SACON.\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Profile of Students (2026 &#8211; 2028) Bela Ratanjankar Being raised in Pune, Maharashtra, the heart of Sahyadri always attracted me towards nature. From childhood watching documentaries on natgeo, discovery channel led me to pursue my graduation in zoology. During which I was exposed to various fields like molecular biology, genetics, developmental biology, ecology, etc. Out of all these wildlife science was the one that subject that interested me the most. That led me to being more vigilant while observing and being in nature and that is the reason I took up photography. While photographing nature and animals in my locality I started to wonder about their behaviour, how they communicate, their social structure and everything. Alao reading about the recent issues like wildlife conflict, habitat destruction lead me to want to work in the field of conservation. During my graduation the various field visits led me to wanting to work in this field, and also led to do some independent preliminary work in bird behaviour and food preferences in birds. I aim to sharpen my field skills, work on and with various animals and am keen to gain knowledge about more things. I intend to use my creative skills in the field of conservation in order to help animals and ensure that they survive and thrive in their own environment. I hope that this course at SACON will help me sharpen my skills and keep gaining knowledge that will help me achieve my goals in this field. Dattatreya Srinivas I cannot imagine myself doing anything other than studying Wildlife Sciences. I have always wanted to be in forests, understanding ecosystems, plants and animals, exploring oceans and the remotest habitats in the world. Growing up in Bengaluru, Karnataka, I was inspired by people like Steve Irwin, Bear Grylls, Jeremy Wade, Jeff Corwin and, of course, the warm and legendary narration of Sir David Attenborough. They made a life devoted to exploring and understanding the natural world feel like the only life I wanted. After my Bachelor\u2019s, I actively sought experiences that would help me understand how natural ecosystems function. I began by working on a collaborative project in the Sholas of Bhadra Tiger Reserve, where I was introduced to Hyperspectral Remote Sensing. I then joined the Wildlife Institute of India, working on Carnivores and Ungulates in Karnataka and learning Camera Trapping and Interview-based occupancy surveys. I later worked as a Field Biologist with the Chhattisgarh Forest Department in Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve which is the 3rd largest Tiger reserve in India, conducting habitat assessments and camera trapping across the 2,800 sq. km landscape for the Tiger Conservation Plan. I also contributed to projects with the Haryana Forest Department and Karnataka State Government, including Biodiversity Assessments across the Western Ghats. Outside work, I rescue snakes, enjoy Herping and Birding, and I am an avid Scuba and Freediver. I am now incredibly excited to pursue my MSc at WII-SACON, where I hope to deepen my understanding of India\u2019s wildlife, habitats and ecosystems and learn how they function Dhananjay Patil I come from Akola district of Maharashtra. Growing up watching wildlife-oriented channels such as Discovery, National Geographic and Animal Planet, I developed an early fascination with the natural world and a desire to pursue a career in the field. My interest in nature and wilderness was further deepened by the writings of Shri Maruti Chitampalli, the Padma Shri awardee, former forest officer and veteran naturalist. While pursuing my B.Sc. in Forestry, I was introduced to birdwatching. I soon realized that birds are ubiquitous and that observing wildlife does not always require visiting dense forests. This also made me appreciate the importance of urban campuses as habitats for biodiversity. I began actively documenting the avian diversity of my campus, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, which has twice been ranked first among Maharashtra\u2019s top birding hotspots during the Campus Bird Count. As part of my undergraduate dissertation, I conducted a basic ecological assessment of the campus\u2019s avian diversity. I have also participated in three major citizen-science biodiversity surveys across Maharashtra: a bird survey at Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve, a herpetofaunal survey at Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, and a butterfly survey at Pench Tiger Reserve. Through the MSc programme at SACON, I aspire to develop a deeper understanding of wildlife behaviour and ecology and contribute meaningfully to biodiversity conservation. Faizalraza Tajmohammad Sheikh Growing up in the green landscapes of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, I was surrounded by biodiversity. While many children may have grown up surrounded by cartoons and concrete buildings, I was fortunate to grow up with the sights and sounds of the natural world around me. At the time, I did not realize that this environment would eventually decide my career path for me. Looking back, it seems the forests had already recruited me into conservation before I even knew what conservation meant. Completed my Bachelor of Science in Forestry (Honours), Sri Dev Suman Uttarakhand Vishwavidyalaya from Dehradun. My academic journey has helped me understand forests, wildlife, ecology and conservation more deeply. I got opportunity to work with Mussoorie Forest Dept., Dehradun Forest Dept., Dehradun Zoo and HESCO which was valuable for my knowledge enhancement. The opportunity contributed my interest in snakes which goes far beyond simply admiring them although, some people become significantly less comfortable when I say that. Snakes are fascinating and important indicators of ecosystem health, and their presence, distribution, behavior, and breeding patterns can reveal valuable information about environmental changes in forests and changing landscapes. They may not migrate across continents like birds, but they certainly know how to disappear exactly when you are trying to find them for a survey. I am particularly interested in learning more about snake ecology, for me, the challenge of studying snakes is part of the excitement: nature has a wonderful sense of humor, and sometimes the most fascinating species are also the ones that are least interested in being found. I have joined SACON to improve and sharpen myself and also my skills to fit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-15642","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15642"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15659,"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15642\/revisions\/15659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wii-saconrp.in\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}