Dr. Abi Tamim Vanak

Abi Vanak is an Associate Professor level faculty in the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation. Dr Vanak is an ecologist with broad interests in animal movement ecology, disease ecology, savanna ecosystems and wildlife in human-dominated systems. Subsequent to completing his PhD in the USA and post-doc in South Africa, studying the movement ecology of elephants, large African carnivores and savanna ecosystem dynamics, Dr Vanak returned to India in 2012. Since then his research has included projects on the conservation of semi-arid savanna grasslands in peninsular India and the adaptation of mesocarnivores to human-dominated landscapes. Dr Vanak’s interests in disease ecology led to him explore the dynamics of pathogen transmission between domestic animals and native wildlife using the OneHealth framework. He is currently examining the dynamics of rabies in multi-host systems and the role of small and medium mammals as tick hosts in the transmission dynamics of Kyasanur Forest Disease.

Affiliation

The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), India