Hi, I am Karma Choki, a wildlife researcher from Bhutan. After doing my Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Dr.PDKV University in India, I joined one of the Field Divisions (Sarpang) under the Department of Forests and Park Services as a Forestry Officer. For the last five years, I have been working on tiger conservation work in Sarpang, ensuring and promoting that tigers are well protected beyond the existing protected areas. As focal for the Zero-Poaching project, funded by WWF Bhutan, I work along 57 rangers in carrying out the tactical law enforcement and conservation of endangered species like tiger Panthera tigris and elephant Elephas maximus. I have closely worked with local communities in fostering their partnership in protecting these species and addressing HWC. After being able to conjointly implement conservation and law enforcement, in 2020 for the first time we witnessed the increase in tiger population in Sarpang. This achievement kindled my passion and helped me actualize my purpose to work further on endangered species in Bhutan. Right now, I am interested in learning species occupancy and density modeling.

Since I am the sole woman conservationist from Bhutan to ever attend this advanced training on wildlife conservation practice at WILDCRU, Oxford, I hope and pray that this may be the first of many amazing achievements and wonders our young female conservationist back at home would accomplish.