Professional Experience

Currently consulting for Sajjan Garh Biological Park, Udaipur, on the design and development of a giraffe barn (indoor holding area) and an outdoor exhibit tailored to the species' specific needs.

Participated in a week-long Giraffe Care Workshop in September 2024 at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs, USA. The workshop provided advanced training in giraffe welfare, focusing on behavior training using positive reinforcement, browse programs, hoof care, enrichment, and guest engagement.

Mentored the hand-rearing of female giraffe calf 'Parijat' (born 16th November 2023), guiding milk feeding, diet, and neonatal care for healthy development.
Enhanced diet plans and installed feeding enrichment for giraffes.
Monitored giraffe weight, behavior, and health, coordinating with veterinarians for medical care.
Introduced positive reinforcement-based behavior training for giraffes, including target touch, back-up, neck touch for blood draws, and hoof placement for trims and cleaning.
Conducted educational talks on giraffes for zoo visitors, sharing insights on giraffe species, behavior, threats, and conservation

Consulted on pre- and post-birth care for giraffe calves, guiding the successful delivery of Aman (born 18th February 2022) and Himani (born 28th April 2022).
Delivered a talk on "Enhanced Captive Management of Giraffes" for zoo staff to improve management practices.
Installed the 'Puzzle Feeder,' an enrichment device to enhance dietary stimulation for giraffes.

Co-authored (as second author) a peer-reviewed paper published on ScienceDirect in collaboration with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), titled 'Conservation Status of Giraffe: Evaluating Contemporary Distribution and Abundance with Evolving Taxonomic Perspectives.' The paper utilized the latest data to provide the most up-to-date population estimates, estimating just over 117,000 giraffes remaining in the wild across Africa.

Conducted genetic study of giraffes at Kolkata Zoo (Zoological Gardens, Alipore) in collaboration with the West Bengal Zoo Authority and the Molecular Biodiversity Lab, Government Arts College, Ooty, identifying them as Northern Giraffes, specifically the Nubian subspecies.
Presented the study at International Giraffid Conference 2019.
Published a study in peer-reviewed Indian Zoo Year Book (2021) titled 'Molecular Identification of Nubian Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis) in the Zoological Garden Alipore, Kolkata, India'.

Participated in Giraffe Surveys and Collaring of 25 giraffes at Kidepo Valley National Park and Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda with Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), Namibia.

Completed a 4-month zookeeping internship working with giraffes at Fort Wayne Zoo (formerly Fort Wayne Children's Zoo), Indiana, USA, from 6th November 2017 to 7th March 2018, logging approximately 675 hours.
Maintained the Giraffe Barn in compliance with AZA (American Zoo Keeping Association) standards.
Gained hands-on experience in giraffe husbandry, including cleaning, feeding, shifting, enrichment, behavior observation, and juvenile care.
Observed giraffe training sessions for target training, blood draws, and hoof care.
Delivered a presentation titled “Giraffes and Their Conservation” to zoo volunteers.

Raised funds through an independent fundraiser amounting to Rupees 36,752 (USD 546) for Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) for the occasion of World Giraffe Day–21st June 2017.

Volunteered as a Giraffe Specialist at Mysore Zoo (Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens) from 9th to 22nd November 2016.
Conducted educational talks on giraffes for zoo visitors, sharing insights on giraffe species, behavior, threats, and conservation.
Collected visitor feedback using the Giraffe Talk Feedback Questionnaire to evaluate talk effectiveness.
Delivered a presentation on 'Giraffes and Their Management in Captivity' for zoo authorities, keepers, and staff.
Published the article 'Giraffe – The Iconic Mega-Fauna' in the Mysore Zoo Newsletter (December 2016 Issue, Volume 15, Page 5).

Volunteered as a Giraffe Specialist at Kolkata Zoo (Zoological Gardens Alipore) from 23rd to 31st October 2015.
Conducted educational talks on giraffes for zoo visitors, sharing insights on giraffe species, behavior, threats, and conservation.
Conducted a behavioral study, recording giraffe behavior using instantaneous scan sampling during morning, noon, and evening hours.
Presented the study at the International Giraffid Conference 2016.
Published the study in the peer-reviewed Journal of Threatened Taxa titled 'Analysis of Stereotypic Behavior and Enhanced Management in Captive Northern Giraffe at Zoological Garden Alipore, Kolkata'.

Volunteered at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC), Uganda, from March to April 2011.
Assisted giraffe, rhino, and lion keepers with daily husbandry, food preparation, and exhibit maintenance.
Compiled, designed, and published educational materials for the center.
Created the Long Stay Volunteer Manual to guide and support volunteers.

Completed an internship at Bombay Natural History Society’s Conservation Education Centre from 2010 to 2012, logging a total of 1,173 hours.