Rinzin Phunjok Lama is an internationally acclaimed conservationist from the Humla district of Nepal. He holds a BSc in Forestry from Tribhuvan University’s Institute of Forestry and a Master’s degree in International Nature Conservation from the University of Göttingen, Germany, and Lincoln University, New Zealand.
Currently, he serves as a Conservation Biologist at the Third Pole Conservancy and is the Founder and Leader of UKALI. Since 2014, Rinzin has been actively involved in the research and conservation of high-altitude wildlife in Nepal and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles.
In 2020, he received the WWF Nepal Conservation Award, and in 2021, he was honored with the prestigious Rolex Award for Enterprise in recognition of his efforts in biodiversity conservation in Nepal’s Trans-Himalaya. Rinzin was listed as one of Time’s Next Generation Leaders in 2022. In 2024, Rinzin received the Future for Nature Award and the National Geographic Wayfinder Award.
In his free time, Rinzin enjoys reading books, listening to podcasts, and watching cartoons.
