Nishant Kumar

Dr. Nishant Kumar is a DBT/Wellcome Trust UK India Alliance Fellow with primary affiliation at the Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun) and an overseas host affiliation at Oxford's Department of Biology. His work bridges conservation biology, ethno-ornithology, and socio-cultural practices in urban environments. Nishant holds a DPhil from Oxford University (2014-2019), supported by the Felix Scholarship Trust, and completed his M.Sc. in Wildlife Science at the Wildlife Institute of India following undergraduate studies at Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi (2011).

Research interests focus on human-animal coexistence in the Global South, particularly urban raptors like Black Kites. He examines how cultural traditions (e.g., ritual feeding) and ecological factors influence animal behavior and ecosystem integrity. His work emphasizes the One Health framework, exploring links between animal populations, disease contagions, and human/animal well-being. Key projects include the Black Kite Project (11 years of continuous monitoring) and PAWS-Web (cross-institutional platform for 'Science of Tropical Cities').

Grants and fellowships include the DBT/Wellcome Trust Early Career Fellowship (2023-2028), supported by multiple agencies such as the India Oxford Initiative and Microwave Telemetry, Inc. He advises on India Oxford Initiative's Executive and Strategy Boards. Collaborations span institutions like the Raptor Research & Conservation Foundation, Mumbai, and military entities like the Indian Air Force for birdstrike mitigation.

Labs/teams include the Sheldon Lab and the PAWS-Web group. His research explores interdisciplinary challenges like poultry waste impacts, vulture population loss, and cultural shifts in South Asian cities. The fellowship aims to enhance ecosystem resilience through science rooted in local socio-cultural contexts.