Bhubaneswar: Odia biologist Rajesh Kumar Mohapatra has won ‘Prani Mitra Award’ given by the Animal Welfare Board of India under biologist/ educationist category for 2020.
According to reports, Mohapatra will be conferred with the award during a virtual ceremony held at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) headquarters in New Delhi October 5.
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Mohapatra, who is presently working at Nandankanan Zoological Park, was shortlisted for the award among 150 nominations under the biologist/ educationist category. His present research interests include conservation breeding and soft release of Indian pangolin, species recovery of gharials, zoo animal behaviour, biology and welfare, a source informed.
Besides, Mohapatra is an active member of IUCN-SSC CBSG and IUCN-SSC Pangolin-SG and is involved in pangolin conservation, research, management, integrally involved in pangolin conservation policy, law, contributing to pangolin conservation and management.
Mohapatra has been associated with Nandankanan Zoological Park since 2012 when he began his career as a junior research fellow.
PNN