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Nitin Sekar

IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group; Independent researcher

PhD, Princeton University

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I am dedicated to helping make elephant conservation more evidence-based, social justice-oriented, and animal-welfare conscious. I received a doctorate from Princeton University for my research on the role of Asian elephants as seed dispersers in a disturbed (sub)tropical forest. I have also conducted research on the implementation of relocation of indigenous peoples for conservation, factors that contribute to the pricing of eco- and cultural tourism, and how legalisation of ivory might affect elephant poaching. My research has been widely reported, with the New York Times Editorial Board citing my work in their public decision to oppose the legal trade of ivory. I worked for two years as a science-policy fellow for the US Agency for International Development's Office for Forestry and Biodiversity, serving during both the Obama and Trump administrations. Currently, I am helping lead the elephant conservation work for the largest conservation NGO in the country with the most Asian elephants: WWF-India. Working across northeast, north, and southern India, I support a multi-state team with decades of collective on-the-ground conservation experience, spearheading efforts in science, policy, monitoring and evaluation, and program development.

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