Dr P. Sathiyaselvam
Deputy Director
Sathiyaselvam has over 20 years of research experience in wetland ecology, bird migration, avian disease monitoring and management planning for the wetlands. He has worked in various ecological and environmental impact assessments and biodiversity studies across the country. Having been trained by United States Geological Survey (USGS) in satellite tracking of waterbirds, Sathiyaselvam has independently deployed 48 satellite transmitters on nine waterbird species.
He has to his credit about 50 publications including scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, popular articles and scientific reports. He has also authored three books. He is one of the members of the Editorial Board for EGREE Newsletter and Biodiversity Field Guide brought out by the State Biodiversity Board of Andhra Pradesh.
Sathiyaselvam initiated the Olive Ridley Turtle Conservation Programme in association with Tamil Nadu Forest Department, and Fishing Cat and Whale Shark Conservation programme with Andhra Pradesh Forest Department. While the turtle conservation programme is in progress, the Fishing Cat and Whale Shark conservation initiative has been taken up in a big way by the state forest department. The global status of the Fishing Cat has been revised and the Whale Shark conservation initiative has attained international recognition.
Sathiyaselvam has worked as a Field Biologist with the Forest Department of Tamil Nadu and as Conservation Biologist in the project ‘Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation into production sector’, implemented by the Government of India-UNDP-GEF and Government of Andhra Pradesh.
He has played an advisory role, motivating many industries towards biodiversity conservation and continues to be involved in community mobilization towards biodiversity conservation. Presently BNHS has deputed him to the Central Asian Flyway Secretariat, established in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, to provide scientific and technical inputs to the secretariat for the conservation migratory birds.
Areas of interest/expertise:
- wetland ecology
- bird migration
