Chief Event Curator
Specialty: Birds · Butterflies · Urban Nature
Priyall Soanii was mid-story on the Shilonda Trail, telling guests about the elusive leopards of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, when her supervisor whispered: “There’s one ahead.” A leopard had crossed the path barely 200 metres away vanishing back into the forest before most of the group could spot it. She still jokes that the leopard heard her story and decided to make a cameo.
As Naturalist Explorers’ Chief Event Curator, Priyall brings a rare double background to her work: a Master’s in Applied Psychology (Counselling) and diplomas in Early Childhood Care and Pre-Primary Teaching, layered over BNHS courses in ornithology, butterfly studies and leadership in biodiversity conservation. Her field CV is remarkable multiple Sanjay Gandhi National Park bird counts, the 1st Bandhavgarh Summer Bird Survey, the 9th Kanha Bird Survey, head organiser of the Butterfly Race, an eBird hotspot editor, and Organising committee member of All women Nature Walks Mumbai
The Event Curation Philosophy of Priyall Soanii
Her specialty is birds, butterflies and urban nature, and one fact never fails to light up participants’ eyes: many flowers carry hidden ultraviolet patterns signboards guiding pollinators to nectar proof that nature isn’t just beautiful, it’s beautifully functional. Fittingly, her spirit animal is the owl: elusive, observant, and a reminder that not every encounter has to be loud to be memorable.
“You don’t have to convince people to care for nature. You just have to help them experience it. — Priyall Soanii”
