Ever since I was a child I was fascinated by animals and their behaviour. Growing-up in the 1970s I became aware that if I wished to study animals in the wild or zoos that animals first needed to be conserved and their welfare protected. It was, thus, that I studied for a BSc (Hons) in Biology at the University of Nottingham (1986-1989) and then did a PhD in Animal Behaviour/Animal Welfare at the University of Edinburgh (1989-1993).
After this I worked for four years, as a researcher, at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (Edinburgh Zoo) before moving full-time into academia. Whilst working at Edinburgh Zoo I learnt about how zoos can make significant contribution to animal conservation whilst at the same time respecting the wellbeing of their animals. From 2001-2013, I worked as Professor of Animal Behaviour and Conservation at a Brazilian university (PUC Minas in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais) where I was able to realise my lifelong ambition of conducting fieldwork on everything from mammals, birds and reptiles to fish.
In 2013, I returned to the UK accepting the Chair in Wildlife Conservation at the University of Salford Manchester where I divide my time between field conservation projects mainly in Brazil and zoo-based research (both conservation and animal welfare orientated). In my career to date I have published research on approximately 50 different species of animal (everything from giant anteaters to humans). I am the author of approximately 150 full scientific papers and one textbook about zoo animal welfare.
Recently, my research group has become very interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, and we are using a wide range of methodologies and techniques to answer scientific questions including: behavioural observations, biotelemetry, molecular biology, microbiology, colour analysis, machine learning (artificial intelligence), bioacoustics, biogeography, social network analyses, physiological, amongst others.
All of this rich experience I bring to the supervision of my postgraduate students and to my teaching/tutoring/supervision of undergraduate students. My greatest pleasure as an academic is sharing my wonder of animals with the students that I supervise and teach.
I teach the following modules to BSc Wildlife undergraduate students: Introduction to Zoo Biology; Conservation in Zoos; Zoos and Exhibit Design
I teach the following module to the MA Wildlife Documentary Production students: Wildlife Biology, Ecology and Behaviour
ResearcherID
B-7356-2013
Scopus Author ID
8305475300
PhD Supervision Availability
Yes
PhD Topics
Wildlife Conservation; Impact of Noise on Wildlife; Animal Welfare
Should zoos exist?
A short video that debates the importance/necessity of zoos.
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
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