Gowri Shankar started handling snakes at the age of 13 and now uses this skill to explore undiscovered grounds of the reptilian world. His stint as an animal inspector, education officer, and researcher, has molded him well to suit the current profile as a Conservation Officer at Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS). Based at Agumbe and focusing primarily on studying and conserving king cobras he has become the first in the world to observe and document the nesting, male combat, courtship, mating and cannibalistic behaviors of king cobras in the wild.

He has been featured in several wildlife documentaries like the ‘King and I’, ‘Secrets of the King Cobra’ by BBC and the National Geographic Channel respectively.
Apart from rescuing over 120 King cobras from distress situations he has collected vital scientific data which has led to new insights into a king cobra’s life. Through various educational programs he has reached out far and wide to ensure that the last remaining habitat of this magnificent creature is conserved.