Qualifications:

• M.Sc Ecology, Pondicherry University (2020-2022)
• B.Sc Zoology, Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya, Port Blair (2019)

Email: irfan@dakshin.org

Profile: Born and raised in the Andaman Islands, Irfan developed a deep interest in the snakes and lizards native to the islands. During his undergraduate studies, he had the opportunity to intern on a seedling monitoring project in Andaman, supervised by a Ph.D. student from Columbia University. Following his bachelor’s degree, he pursued a Master’s in Ecology at Pondicherry University.

After completing his master’s, Irfan volunteered at the Madras Crocodile Bank, where he gained extensive knowledge about reptiles. He then interned with the Dakshin Foundation, working on the histology of Olive Ridley sea turtles, which sparked his interest in marine turtles. Subsequently, he interned in Kartik Shanker’s lab at IISc Bangalore, focusing on the biogeography of semi-aquatic snakes.

He later worked as a naturalist at the Satpura Tiger Reserve. Currently, he is part of the Marine Flagships programme with the Dakshin Foundation, serving as a Programme Associate on the Leatherback monitoring project in Little Andaman of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

In his free time, Irfan enjoys creating illustrations, going herping, and wildlife photography.