Nepal, Sept. 30 -- Munir Virani is a conservation biologist and filmmaker who has dedicated his life to protecting birds of prey. Born in Kenya and now based in Abu Dhabi with the Mohamed bin Zayed Raptor Conservation Fund, Virani played a key role in uncovering why South Asia's vulture population had collapsed. He is a Whitley Award winner and a featured TED speaker, known for his work on tackling major threats to raptors worldwide.

Excerpts from journalist Ramesh Bhushal's recent interview with him:

Ramesh Bhushal: What are birds of prey?

Munir Virani: These are birds that have very sharp bills, hooked talons, and forward-facing eyes. They are really the tigers, leopards, and lions of the sky. They're predators. Out of about 10,000 ...