‘You need strong willpower’: IUCN’s Kazi Zenifar Azmiri on being a woman wildlife biologist

For over a decade, Kazi Zenifar Azmiri has been instrumental in safeguarding wildlife in Bangladesh. As a program associate at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), her primary focus lies in the rescue and rehabilitation of endangered species such as the white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and Himalayan griffon vulture (Gyps himalayensis).

The vulture populations in Bangladesh have experienced a significant decline over the years due to exposure to veterinary painkillers that are toxic to the birds when they consume the carcasses of cattle treated with these drugs. However, recent conservation efforts have led to the stabilization of vulture populations, thanks to the creation of vulture safe zones and a ban on harmful drugs.

Zenifar's role involves monitoring migratory birds, attaching identification rings and satellite tags to them, which allows researchers to track their journeys and identify potential threats. Apart from vultures, she also contributes to the conservation of ducks, dolphins, crocodiles, and turtles across Bangladesh. Her work takes her to various remote locations, including wetlands where migratory birds congregate, river systems that support dolphins and crocodiles, and coastal areas vital to these marine species.

In many of her field trips, Zenifar is often the sole female member of the team. In the local communities she collaborates with, she has occasionally encountered attitudes that raise questions about her presence in the field. One such instance comes to mind when she recalls a conversation with a local fisherman. As they journeyed together to meet a family for an interview, the fisherman inquired about her presence in the field.