Dr Taej Mundkur works as a nature conservationist and an independent consultant. He has a doctorate in waterbird ecology and a master’s degree in microbiology from India.
Taej has worked with Wetlands International for over three decades where he has been responsible for the development of waterbird conservation programmes worldwide, in partnership with conventions, governments, NGOs, corporate sector, and others. He has coordinated the global International Waterbird Census and the global Waterbird Population Estimates production.
Taej started with Wetlands International in Malaysia in 1990 and has been responsible for the development of the Asian Waterbird Census and various flyway projects. He has been closely involved with the development and implementation of the Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy that provided a regional framework for conservation action for over a decade. He has supported the development and implementation of the East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership and serves on its technical sub-committee and various technical working groups. In the late 2000s, he helped the UN FAO build a programme to strengthen the capacity of veterinarians and wildlife staff in wild bird disease monitoring (avian influenza) in Africa, Europe, and Asia and has chaired the Asia-Pacific Working Group on Migratory Waterbirds and Avian Influenza.
He has been active in developing Action Plans and frameworks for other flyways around the world and chaired the Convention on Migratory Species Flyways Working Group in advising the Convention and its Parties on priorities for conservation for migratory birds globally and regionally for over a decade. He is closely involved with the implementation of flyway projects in the East Asian – Australasian, African Eurasian, and Americas flyways.
Keen on communication, capacity, and awareness-raising, he has published a wide range of research on conservation issues. He has been closely involved with regional and national training and capacity-building activities working with a range of government staff, experts, amateurs, and other stakeholders.
From January 2022, Taej continues as a Senior Advisor to coordinate the International Waterbird Census and to support and represent Wetlands International on waterbird monitoring, flyway, and wetland conservation projects and strategic developments, including to better integrate its flyway and biodiversity targets into wetland and climate change priorities and action.
He currently resides in Arnhem, the Netherlands.
Contact details:
Email – [email protected]
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