Aparajita Datta

Aparajita Datta (born 5 January 1970) is an Indian wildlife ecologist and conservation scientist renowned for her extensive research on tropical forest ecology, hornbill conservation, and community-based environmental management in north-eastern India. Her pioneering work in the Eastern Himalaya has highlighted the crucial role of large frugivorous birds in forest regeneration and underscored the importance of indigenous communities in sustaining biodiversity.

Background and education

Aparajita Datta was born in Kolkata, India, and spent part of her early childhood in Zambia, where her fascination with nature first developed. She later returned to India to pursue formal education, completing a bachelor’s degree in Botany from Presidency University, Kolkata. Following her undergraduate studies, she obtained a master’s degree in Wildlife Ecology from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and subsequently earned a doctoral degree focusing on hornbill ecology and seed dispersal dynamics in tropical forests.
Her academic training laid the foundation for a career devoted to understanding the intricate relationships between plants, animals, and people in some of India’s most remote and ecologically significant landscapes.

Research focus and scientific contributions

Aparajita Datta’s research integrates field ecology, conservation biology, and social engagement. Her major contributions can be grouped under several key areas:

• Hornbill ecology: Datta has spent over two decades studying hornbills in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh. Her work revealed that hornbills act as major seed dispersers and are essential for the regeneration of tropical forests. She documented their breeding biology, feeding behaviour, and movement ecology, demonstrating their ecological importance as “farmers of the forest.”
• Plant–animal interactions: Her studies on fruiting patterns, forest phenology, and animal–plant interactions have provided insights into how wildlife dynamics sustain forest diversity. She has examined how tropical tree species depend on animals for reproduction and regeneration, and how disruptions to these processes can alter entire ecosystems.
• Community-based conservation: Recognising that sustainable conservation depends on the involvement of local people, Datta has worked closely with tribal communities such as the Nyishi and Lisu in Arunachal Pradesh. She has developed community initiatives combining conservation with livelihood development, including eco-tourism, handicraft marketing, education, and healthcare support, thereby integrating social welfare with forest stewardship.
• Human–wildlife coexistence: Datta’s work also addresses the ecological and social consequences of logging, hunting, and shifting cultivation in the Eastern Himalaya. By documenting these interactions, she advocates for conservation models that respect both biodiversity and cultural traditions.
• Biodiversity documentation: Her field explorations have led to the recording of rare and little-known species, including mammals, birds, and amphibians. Her work has significantly expanded scientific understanding of the biodiversity of India’s north-eastern rainforests.

Institutional roles and professional activities

Aparajita Datta serves as a Senior Scientist at the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), Mysuru, where she leads the Eastern Himalaya Programme. Through this role, she oversees long-term ecological research, forest restoration, and education projects. Her approach combines scientific monitoring with conservation outreach, bringing together researchers, forest officials, and local communities to implement sustainable management practices.
She has also mentored young ecologists and conservationists, encouraging multidisciplinary approaches that combine ecology, anthropology, and policy.

Awards and recognition

Datta’s achievements have earned her multiple prestigious awards and honours, reflecting her influence on both national and international conservation efforts. Among these are:

• The Whitley Award (2013), often referred to as the “Green Oscar,” for using hornbills as flagship species to conserve tropical forests.
• The Earth Heroes Award by Sanctuary Asia for outstanding field-based conservation work.
• The Women of Discovery Humanity Award recognising her integration of conservation with community development.
• Recognition by National Geographic as one of its Emerging Explorers, highlighting her field leadership in biodiversity conservation.

These honours underscore her contribution to global conservation thought and her commitment to protecting India’s fragile forest ecosystems.

Significance of her work

Aparajita Datta’s research has deep ecological and social implications. Her findings have established the ecological significance of frugivorous birds as keystone species, vital for maintaining forest structure and diversity. By positioning hornbills as flagship species, she successfully mobilised conservation attention towards tropical forests that are otherwise underrepresented in policy frameworks.
Equally significant is her participatory approach to conservation, which integrates traditional ecological knowledge with modern science. Her community engagement models demonstrate that biodiversity protection can coexist with improved livelihoods, setting an example for conservation strategies in other parts of India and the world.
Her work also contributes to understanding the long-term impacts of land-use change, particularly the ecological consequences of deforestation, hunting, and shifting cultivation in the Eastern Himalaya.

Challenges and ongoing projects

Despite notable conservation gains, the landscapes where Datta works continue to face serious threats from logging, infrastructure development, and illegal hunting. Maintaining predator-prey balance, restoring degraded forests, and protecting hornbill nesting trees remain ongoing challenges.
Her current projects focus on:

• Restoring degraded forest habitats using native plant species.
• Long-term monitoring of hornbill populations and forest regeneration.
• Collaborative conservation involving local communities, especially women, in forest management and education.
• Expanding field stations and monitoring networks to collect ecological data across seasons and altitudes.