Dr. Shabnam Kumari is a dedicated wildlife ecologist and conservationist with a deep-rooted affinity for the mountains, having grown up amidst the majestic landscapes of the Himalayas. Her primary research interest lies in exploring the high-altitude ecosystems of the region, with a particular focus on the ecological drivers shaping insect diversity and their interactions with plants and local communities.
While her research primarily integrates ecological and molecular approaches, Dr. Kumari is equally committed to understanding the socio-economic dimensions of conservation. Her goal is to develop region-specific, community-driven strategies for resilient and inclusive landscape management in the fragile Himalayan ecosystems.
Dr. Kumari holds a Master's degree in Zoology with a specialization in Entomology from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, and earned her Ph.D. in Forestry (Wildlife Science) from the Forest Research Institute (Deemed to be University), Dehradun. She conducted her doctoral research at the Wildlife Institute of India under a doctoral research fellowship from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India.
As part of her Ph.D. work, Dr. Kumari visited the Natural History Museum in London, UK, and the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (SNSB-ZSM) in Munich. At the latter, she worked on the integrative taxonomy of key moth species, supported by the prestigious Ernst Mayr Travel Grant from the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, USA.
Her research has yielded the first comprehensive insights into the spatial diversity patterns, community structure, and biogeographic associations of moths across the North-Western and Trans-Himalayan landscapes of Himachal Pradesh. This work has produced extensive baseline species inventories, including approximately 3,000 moth specimens and 84 DNA barcode sequences. It also highlights critical research gaps and emerging conservation concerns in these ecologically and climatically sensitive regions.
Dr. Kumari has presented her findings at various national and international forums, received multiple travel grants, published in peer-reviewed journals, and conducted training workshops for forest department staff and students. Her work continues to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical conservation in the Himalayas.