Zoology is home to a thriving community of researchers, students, faculty, and visitors, who share a fascination in how organisms develop, function, behave, interact and evolve. The Department of Zoology established in 1977 with well equipped. Prof D. N. Birhade is the Head of Department. The Department of Zoology flourish from rural, hilly remote area and extending our knowledge of applied Zoology, animal diversity, behavioral ecology, taxonomy, Entomology from our lab to land community. Our work bridges different levels of organization from the applied basis of animal form, function, and behavior to the interactions between organisms and ecosystem. We have applied subject strengths in various areas including Apiculture, Sericulture, Vermiculture, Pisciculture, Poultry and Organic farming to Wildlife conservation policy. Our community reaches beyond our buildings to our colleagues and alumni across the world.

We also organize several field courses, Agricultural awareness programmes, workshops and conferences including a Tropical Zoology field course in Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary who is the part of ‘Hottest Hotspot’ for biodiversity of Western Ghats, India. The Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary regards as bio-indicator species like Maharashtra State animal “Indian Giant Squirrel” and state butterfly “Blue mormon”.

Academic Excellence

Zoology department has always kept its academic quality at the top since its establishment. Total 03 students stood First in order of merit in Subject Zoology. 1) Miss. Sajida Pathan(2012), 2) Miss. Priyanka Mule(2017), 3) Miss. Ashwini Thongire(2022). Miss. Dhanvarsha Borhade(2017) stood Fourth and Miss. Gauri Muthe stood Ninth in order of merit in Subject Zoology.

Undergraduate Teaching

Members of the Department provide high quality and enthusiastic teaching that covers a diverse range of topics from single-cell organisms to whole ecosystems; from the outset, students are taught by experts at the forefront of modern scientific research through a combination of lectures, practical classes, Seminars, Field visit and group discussions.

Our final year course Zoology, offers a great degree of flexibility and variety; students covers 20 diverse ranges of subjects, including Entomology, Pest Management, Molecular Biology, Forensic Sciences, Animal Physiology and Evolutionary Biology, Biotechnology and Developmental Biology and skilled based subjects.

Research

Our research ranges across animal behavior from biodiversity to conservation policy. Our work has an impact in the areas of biodiversity, conservation, health, global change, and sustainability across the world and reaches out to academics, practitioners, students, and a broad audience who share our interests and concerns. We are committed to an inclusive community built on a strong foundation of mutual respect. We believe equality and diversity are fundamental to a successful research and teaching institution and that a collaborative, considerate and collegiate research culture underpins excellence. Our research often has a distinctive approach within a field reflecting our particular interests in the functioning of whole organisms, and questions relating to evaluation, adaptation, biodiversity and conservation. We extend our work with colleagues throughout the students, researchers, Government authorities, local farmer and tribes.

Our research is supported by over 58 original articles publishes special sections on diverse and topical themes of interest and this has served as a platform for the scientific fraternity to get their work highlighted by indexed citations.