Spared by a king cobra - a deadly experience | Dr. P. Gowri Shankar | TEDxNITKSurathkal

Gowri Shankar shares his journey of discovering a deep fascination with king cobras and his dedication to rescuing these majestic reptiles through the Kalinga Foundation. His story reflects the powerful connection between passion and purpose in wildlife conservation.

With nearly 20 years as a wildlife biologist, Shankar’s research focuses on the evolutionary biology and phylogeography of king cobras in Southeast Asia. He has authored several scientific papers and spent over a decade studying the natural history of king cobras in Agumbe, where he has rescued and relocated more than 350 distressed king cobras and monitored over 50 nests. Shankar also initiated the first radio telemetry study of king cobras.

His expertise has been featured by BBC, Discovery, NatGeo Wild, Animal Planet, and others in documentaries like "King Cobra and I," "Secrets of the King Cobra," and "Asia's Deadliest Snakes." Named Herpetologist of the Year in 2015 by the Swedish Herpetological Society, Shankar was also a TED Fellow in 2020.
Renowned wildlife biologist and TED speaker Dr. Gowri Shankar has made significant contributions to the study of King cobra biology and evolution. A TED Fellow in 2020, he has received prestigious accolades such as 'Herpetologist of the Year 2015' from the Swedish Herpetological Society and the 'Vasundhara Mitra Award 2023' from Kirloskar Ferrous Industries Limited.

Dr. Shankar is the Co-Founder and Director of the Kalinga Foundation and the Kalinga Center for Rainforest Ecology. His groundbreaking Ph.D. research challenged longstanding beliefs by revealing the existence of four distinct species of king cobra. His work delves into the phylogeography of king cobras across Southeast Asia, and he has authored and co-authored numerous scientific papers and book reviews.

Dr. Shankar is a familiar face in international wildlife documentaries, featuring in productions such as 'King Cobra and I,' 'Secrets of the King Cobra,' 'One Million Snake Bites,' and more, which have been showcased on BBC, Discovery, NatGeo Wild, Animal Planet, Smithsonian, and the National Geographic Channel.

With a wealth of experience, Dr. Shankar has previously worked at esteemed institutions like the Center for Herpetology at Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and played a crucial role in establishing the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station in Karnataka. He has rescued and relocated over 400 king cobras, monitored 50 nests, and released 500 hatchlings. Dr. Shankar was pivotal in pioneering radio telemetry studies that unveiled the mysterious life of king cobras. His dedication also extends to outreach programs, where he emphasizes wildlife conservation to the masses. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx