Our Team
TIKA RAM GIRI
 Tika Ram
Giri was born at Sauraha on the edge of the Royal Chitwan
National Park. Tika's knowledge of the birds and mammals of
Nepal is vast and has been gathered over many years and by
much hard work. In his ten years at the Royal Chitwan
National Park he established his expertise, ultimately
becoming the senior naturalist. He is a great companion and
no ornithologist knows Chitwan better than Tika and no one
else has seen as many species there. He has travelled and
trekked widely all over the Indian Subcontinent leading many
groups. Tika is a founding member of Nature Safari Tours and
works full time for the company. He leads most of Nature
Safari Tours Himalayan treks. As one of the very best
Nepalese naturalists the insight he is able to give into his
country's culture and traditions is excellant and
informative and makes any trip to the Himalayas a truly
enlightening experience. Tika has conducted a number of
birdwatching identification activities in Chitwan and at
Koshi. He has recently found the Small Snowfinch in Ladakh
as a new species for the Subcontinent and Black-naped Oriole
Oriolus chinensis as a new species for Nepal. Tika has led
nearly 200 bird tours which is the highest total of tours
led by any bird guides in Nepal.
SUCHIT BASNET
 Was born in
the eastern Terai of Nepal and as a science student had a
keen interest in all wildlife. After leaving college he
worked in a high school in Kathmandu, however, he changed
his plans and his wildlife career took off when he started
working as a full time naturalist in the Royal Chitwan
National Park. Suchit stayed at Chitwan for five years and
during that time he accumulated an invaluable knowledge of
its flora and fauna. He started work as a full time leader
in 1994. Since then his great enthusiasm, cheerful and
friendly disposition, together with exceptional knowledge
have contributed to many visitors having a successful stay
in Nepal. Now ranked as one of the country's leading
naturalists and ornithologists, Suchit leads many of our
tours and treks in Nepal. He is a founding member of Nature
Safari Tours and works for the company full time. Suchit has
found 4 new species for Nepal; Grey-headed Bullfinch
Pyrrhula erythaca, Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni,
Purple-backed Starling Sturnus sturninus, Rufous-vented
Prinia Prinia burnesii.
HATHAN CHAUDHARY
 Hathan
Chaudhary comes from Chitwan and started work in the Royal
Chitwan National Park in 1988. His interest in wildlife
began in 1990 and from that time he quickly built up an
outstanding amount of knowledge on the birds of Nepal. He
began working at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve as the Senior
Naturalist and in addition to his contribution to
developments in ornithological investigation in eastern
Nepal he was also largely responsible for the development of
the camp itself. His excellant knowledge of wildlife and
conservation issues has enabled him to lead many successful
tours. He has a quiet and thoughtful approach to his work
and is keen to share what he knows. Expert on Himalayan
fauna, he has also trekked in Langtang, round Annapurna,
Barun valley, upper Mustang, Everest base Camp, Mai and the
Kaligandaki Valley. He is the Big Day list holder for Nepal
having seen 172 species in a day at Koshi Tappu Tappu
Wildlife Reserve. Hathan has found the first known nest of
the Nepal Wren Babbler Pnoepyga immaculata and has found a
new species for Nepal; Black-tailed Crake Porzana bicolor.
Hathan is a founding member of Nature Safari Tours and works
for the company full time.
BADRI CHAUDHARY
 Badri
Chaudhary was born in Chitwan just a kilometer away from the
Royal Chitwan National Park. He started his career with a
variety of jobs at Chitwan, however, his keen interest in
birds and substantial knowledge has quickly made him an
expert birdwatcher. He has visited all the lowland areas for
birdwatching on a number of occasions as part of the
grassland bird research programme for mist-netting and data
collection. He worked at Koshi for five years and with his
extensive birding knowledge he was able to cover the whole
of the eastern lowlands. He is now with Nature Safari Tours
working as a co-leader and is also the manager of the Koshi
Camp. Badri has found Wedge-billed Wren Babbler and Asian
Glossy Starling as new species for Nepal.
HEM SAGAR BARAL
 Hem Sagar
Baral was born in the far lowlands of eastern Nepal and on
the edge of the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve. Spending his
childhood in the lowland jungles of the Terai, Hem developed
an early interest in birds and wildlife. When he left
school, his ornithological expertise and enthusiasm gained
him a place as a full time naturalist at Royal Chitwan
National Park. During his four years there, Hem impressed
many groups with his knowledge and manner. He left Chitwan
to complete a diploma in geology at Tribhuvan University and
continued to lead many groups whilst studying. He has
trekked in several areas of Nepal and has served in
important posts of Bird Conservation Nepal - most recently
as its President. He has extensively studied birdlife in
Nepal - especially the lowland grassland birds. He is
awarded a PhD for his work on the lowland grassland birds in
Nepal. He is the first and only Nepalese ornithologist with
a PhD. He has been editing Nepal's first and only quarterly
ornithological bulletin Danphe and also the journal Ibisbill
since 1992. In the past he has worked as a volunteer warden
for RSPB in Scotland, BirdLife International, IUCN-Nepal and
on other conservation projects. Hem has found four new
species of grassland birds for Nepal; Jerdon’s Babbler,
Finn’s Weaver, Singing Lark and Moustached Warbler. Hem is a
founding member of Nature Safari Tours and has written
several papers and books on avifauna and their conservation
in Nepal.
BADRI PUDASAINI
 Badri Pudasaini comes from Kathmandu. Badri gained most
of his working experience when he was based at Chitwan and
whilst there he did a number of jobs including managing
wildlife camps. Although based permanently back in Kathmandu
he retains his interest in Chitwan by continuing to manage a
small lodge in the area. Badri works at Nature Safari Tours
full time and his skills and support have been important to
the development of the company. His role as office manager
is key to the operation and his excellent organisational
skills help to ensure that Nature Safari Tours service is
always at its best. |
