Dr. Krithi Karanth is Chief Conservation Scientist at at the Centre for Wildlife Studies, which combines innovative wildlife research with conservation, education and policy outreach. She also is Adjunct Faculty at Duke and National Centre for Biological Sciences and an Explorer with National Geographic Society. She has a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy from Duke, a M.E.Sc. from Yale, and, B.S. and B.A. degrees from University of Florida. As a scientist, her research in India and Asia, spanning 25 years, encompasses many issues in the human dimensions of wildlife conservation. She has conducted macro-level studies assessing patterns of species distributions and extinctions, impacts of wildlife tourism, consequences of voluntary resettlement, land use change and understanding human-wildlife interactions. She has published 100+ scientific and popular articles in English and Kannada. Dr. Karanth served as an editor for Frontiers in Ecology and Environment, Human Dimensions of Wildlife, Conservation Biology, and Conservation Letters. She has mentored over 250 young scientists from India, US, Chile, UK, Australia and Indonesia. and engaged over 750 citizen science volunteers in her research and conservation projects. As a conservationist, she has designed Wild Seve, Wild Shaale, Wild Surakshe, Adopt-a-PHC and Wild Carbon programs. As a storyteller, Dr. Karanth has collaborated with painters, illustrators, film-makers and photographers. Dr. Karanth’s conservation and research work has been featured in three award winning BBC series: The Hunt, Big Cats and Dynasties, and in documentaries by CBC and PBS. She has co-produced five documentaries: Wild Seve, Humane Highways, Wild Shaale, Flying Elephants and Wild Surakshe. In 2020, she co-starred with Kevin Pietersen in Save This Rhino: India by Disney Hotstar and National Geographic. Dr. Karanth’s work has been covered by over 250 media outlets, including Washington Post, Time magazine, Al Jazeera Television, BBC, Christian Science Monitor, GQ India, Harper’s Bazaar, Mongabay, Monocle, National Geographic, National Public Radio, New York Times, Scientific American, All India Radio, Deccan Chronicle, Deccan Herald, Down to Earth, Kannada Prabha, LiveMint, New Indian Express, Prajavani, The Hindu and Times of India. Dr. Karanth has been honored with more than 45 awards and recognitions including National Geographic Society’s 10,000th grantee and 2012 Emerging Explorer, University of Florida’s Outstanding Young Alumnus, India’s Power Women by Femina, Women of the Year by Elle India, Vogue Women of the Year and Seattle Zoo’s Thrive Conservation Leadership Award, GQ Man of the Year-Environmental Hero, Beyond Duke University Alumni Award for Service and Leadership. She is a Rolex Laureate, Ananta Aspen Fellow, Eisenhower Fellow, WINGS Fellow, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, and INK Fellow. In 2021, she became the first Asian woman to be chosen for the Wild Innovator Award and Government of India’s Invest India Women Achiever. In 2022, she won the ‘Varshada Kannadiga’ (Kannadiga of the year) award for her contributions to science and technology.
Born: 1979
Hometown: Bangalore, India
Education: Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy
Occupation: Chief Conservation Scientist – Centre for Wildlife Studies, Adjunct Associate Professor, Duke University
Expeditions: Several wildlife parks across India
Favorite Places: Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagarahole National Park (Karnataka), Manas National Park (Assam)
Best Discoveries: Wild Seve, Wild Shaale, Wild Surakshe and Wild Carbon
Favorite Items In The Field: Binoculars and a book
Personal Heroes: My parents and my grandfather
Hobbies: Traveling, dancing, panting
Website: www.cwsindia.org
Advice: If you’re committed, hardworking, and passionate about anything, you will get where you want to go.
