Brian D. Smith
Associate Conservation Zoologist, WCS
BCDP Program Director

Brian D. Smith directs the WCS Asian Freshwater and Coastal Cetacean Program and has demonstrated leadership through nearly 15 years of cetacean research and conservation projects in Asian countries. Mr. Smith previously served as team leader on large-scale, international cetacean research projects of the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. He currently serves as the Asia Coordinator of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Cetacean Specialist Group and is a member of the World Wildlife Fund Cetacean Bycatch Taskforce and Convention on Migratory Species Cetacean Liaison Group. He has a strong publication background and extensive experience as a science and environmental educator. Mr. Smith is the Program Director and Principal Scientist for the BCDP, supervising project staff and working closely with them and local institutions to conduct training courses and research activities, write technical and popular articles, convene meetings and workshops and formulate, promote and implement a Cetacean Conservation and Protected Area Plan.

Benazir Ahmed
Professor, Zoology Department, Chittagong University
BCDP Program Supervisor

Professor Benazir Ahmed has been a pioneer on cetacean studies and conservation in Bangladesh. He is a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Cetacean Specialist Group and the Government Advisory Board for Wildlife Conservation in Bangladesh. He serves as the Program Supervisor for the BCDP. His leadership is essential on engaging government agencies and officials, and recruiting and motivating local scientists, resource managers and students as core members of our project team. He also co-leads training courses with the BCDP Program Director.

Zahangir Alom
MSc
BCDP Project Coordinator/Cetacean Researcher

Zahangir Alom is based in the BCDP project office in Khulna and has primary responsibilities for coordinating project logistics and interacting with local counterparts. Additionally Mr. Alom is in charge of the investigation of cetacean habitat in the Sundarban mangrove forest. He organizes and takes part in the annual Sundarban Cetacean Survey and Training course. Data collected by captains of The Guide Tours Ltd. tourist vessels in Sundarban are compiled by him. He coordinates closely with BCDP staff and relevant government agencies or associated institutions on the above activities and assists the BCDP Educational Coordinator with developing and maintaining public relations, including communication with funding agencies, associates as well as responding to the BCDP Dolphin hotline.

Rubaiyat Mansur Mowgli
BCDP Principal Researcher/Research Program Coordinator

Rubaiyat Mansur Mowgli has been working in the Sundarban mangrove forest since 1991 as wildlife photographer, nature guide and field assistant for national and international documentary films. He co-authored a comprehensive field guide to the Sundarban mangrove forest and a book on the honey-collectors of Sundarban. Since February 2002, when he participated in the first Sundarban Cetacean survey, he has developed a deep passion for cetaceans and is now fully dedicated to their study and conservation. He is responsible for coordinating and conducting BCDP cetacean research activities in the coastal waters and the Swatch-of-No-Ground of Bangladesh. Every year he spends the winter months in the Bay of Bengal studying and documenting the cetacean diversity, participates in surveys, co-leads training courses and BCDP field-work, analyses data and writes scientific reports.

Elisabeth Fahrni Mansur
BCDP Education and Training Coordinator

Elisabeth Fahrni Mansur is working with the BCDP staff to develop informative and culturally appropriate media materials for educational outreach and organizing workshops to be conducted by local NGOs. She has written and illustrated several educational publications on the cetaceans of Bangladesh. Elisabeth has a Master's degree in education and was a primary school teacher and principal in Switzerland before moving to Bangladesh in 2002. Since then she has worked as nature guide, wildlife photographer and coauthored a comprehensive field guide to the Sundarban mangrove forest and a book on the honey-collectors of Sundarban. She joins the team in the field as cetacean researcher and shares responsibilities for administration and logistics.