Position: Field Director: Flagships Species– Biodiversity and Resource Monitoring Programme

Qualifications: M.Sc Wildlife Sciences, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2009

E-mail: murali@dakshin.org

Profile:
I joined Dakshin in 2010 to study the mass nesting behaviour of olive ridley turtles in Odisha. Now as Field Director in the Biodiversity and Monitoring Programme, I develop and oversees projects focusing on the monitoring of flagship marine species such as sea turtles and sea snakes across the Indian coast. I have worked with traditional fishing communities to develop more participatory activities in conservation. My interests include education, outreach and training for the monitoring and conservation of coastal and marine systems.

Other Positions:
Managing Editor: Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter
Regional Chair: Northern Indian Ocean Marine Turtle Task Force: IOSEA MoU
Country Member: Marine Turtle Specialist Group: IUCN Species Specialist Commission

Projects

• Monitoring green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and seagrass meadows in the Lakshadweep Islands
• Alternative fisher livelihoods and olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) conservation in Rushikulya, Odisha
• Sea snakes of Maharashtra
• Turtle Action Group
• Monitoring and conservation of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) and their habitats in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Long-term monitoring of sea turtles at the Rushikulya mass nesting rookery, Odisha

Books

• Sridhar,A. and M. Muralidharan. 2013. Marine fishing craft and gear of Odisha. Dakshin Foundation, Bangalore. 92 pages.

Project Reports
Chandrana, R., M. Manoharakrishnan and K Shanker. Long-term Monitoring and Community-based Conservation of Olive Ridley Turtles in Odisha. CMPA Technical Series No. 7. Indo-German Biodiversity Programme, GIZ-India, New Delhi

Other Articles

• Manoharakrishnan, M., & Shanker, K. 2017. Do olive ridley turtles migrate en-masse along the East coast of India? Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter, (25), 2–3.
• Swaminathan, A., Thesorow, S., Watha, S., Manoharakrishnan, M., Namboothri, N., & Chandi, M. (2017). Current status and distribution of threatened leatherback turtles and their nesting beaches in the Nicobar group of islands. Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter, 25, 12–18.
• Kale, N., Manoharakrishnan, M., & Shanker, K. 2016. The olive currency: a comparative account of community based ecotourism ventures in Western India. Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter, (23), 2-6.
• Shanker, K., & Manoharakrishnan, M. 2015. A bibliography of published works by Chandrasekhar Kar. Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter, (21), 16–17.
• M. Muralidharan and Adhith Swaminathan. 2010. Environmental Cues and Synchronised Nesting in Olive Ridleys. Marine Turtle Newsletter, (128), 23-24.

Popular Articles
Ramesh, M., & Manoharakrishnan, M. (2016, December 1). Turning Turtle. The Hindu. Retrieved from http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/Turning-turtle/article16731674.ec

Website
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Muralidharan_Manoharakrishnan