Karan Shah is a professor of zoology and the Chief of the Natural History Museum of Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal. He studies a variety of animals living at high altitude in Nepal, including reptiles, and oversees activities at the natural history museum. Karan has written many books, including Reptiles and Amphibians (Herpetofauna) of Nepal. Recently, he has served as a biodiversity conservation expert for projects sponsored by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP.)

Career Path: Karan earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tribhuvan University. He has participated in numerous wildlife surveys in the western Nepal near the border with China. Karan recalls seeing the rare snow leopard and Tibetan antelope, among others. From his experiences, he has also learned a great deal about cultural tradition and the complex relationships between Nepali people and animals.