Dr. Umapathy, Chief Scientist at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), has been elected as a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (FNA), New Delhi. The recognition highlights his pioneering contributions to conservation physiology and wildlife science in India.
Advancing Conservation Physiology in India
Dr. Umapathy has played a pioneering role in developing conservation physiology as an important area of wildlife research in India. His work focuses on understanding how environmental changes and human activities affect the health and well-being of wild animals. Importantly, he developed non-invasive hormone-monitoring techniques that researchers have validated across 30 species. These include a diverse range of animals, from frogs and red pandas to tigers and elephants. By enabling researchers to monitor physiological changes without causing additional stress to animals, these techniques have strengthened efforts to assess wildlife health and improve conservation programmes.
Research Links Human Disturbance to Wildlife Stress
Dr. Umapathy’s landmark research has also demonstrated how anthropogenic disturbances can trigger glucocorticoid-mediated physiological stress in endangered animal populations. Such stress can affect both the survival and reproductive success of wildlife. Therefore, his findings have provided valuable insights into how human activities and environmental pressures influence endangered species.
Strengthening Wildlife Conservation Strategies
His research has contributed to a broader understanding of wildlife endocrinology, which examines the relationship between hormones, physiology and animal health. Consequently, wildlife endocrinology has emerged as an increasingly important component of conservation science in India. Dr. Umapathy’s work has also helped inform wildlife management strategies by providing scientific evidence on the physiological impacts of environmental stress. As reported by thehindu.com, his election as an FNA Fellow recognises these contributions and underscores the growing importance of science-based approaches to wildlife conservation in India.
