Meet the Experts
The team are happy to discuss their areas of interest with journalists. Email r.waller@chesterzoo.org to arrange.
Meet the Experts
Paul began his career as a zookeeper before moving into conservation education and science communication, and from there into project management. He has travelled, lived and worked extensively in Latin America, including twelve years in Chile and two years in Ecuador. He is a member of the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group.
Areas of interest: Latin American wildlife and conservation (cactus, anteaters, andean bears, tapirs, freshwater fish and amphibians); conservation education and science communication; conservation planning.
Mayukh is the Regional Field Programme Manager for conservation projects in Mainland Asia. Trained as an anthropologist and a wildlife behavioural ecologist, he draws extensively from these two fields to understand and address complex conservation problems involving people and wildlife – such as human-wildlife conflicts. He has worked for over a decade to help communities coexist with wildlife.
Areas of expertise: Asian Mammals (terrestrial carnivores, elephants, primates), human-wildlife conflict (in Asia and globally), technology in conservation (e.g., drones and camera trapping).
Iri has worked in zoos since 2007, dedicating his career to herpetology with a focus on snakes and crocodilians. He joined Chester Zoo in 2017, where he focuses on strategic and operational management of ectotherms. His work involves utilising research and field evidence to inform management practices, evaluating husbandry techniques, and aligning zoo expertise with in-situ and ex-situ initiatives.
He has developed training resources and a course to support best practices across institutions and contributes to the international advancement of herpetology. He currently serves as Chair of the Species Advisory Group and Trustee for BIAZA.
Areas of interest: herpetology, snakes, crocodilians, human perceptions of reptiles, promoting safe management of venomous snakes in zoos.
With a degree in Conservation Biology & Ecology, fieldwork experience in Cyprus and Kenya, and a previous placement with the Behaviour and Welfare team, Elena supports research to monitor animal behaviour and welfare, informing evidence-based husbandry to enrich zoo individuals’ lives.
Her work contributes to publications improving welfare across zoos globally.
Areas of interest: Animal behavioural monitoring, Animal welfare assessments, Conservation fieldwork skills.
John is the Conservation Scientist for the Conservation Physiology & Reproduction team. Trained as a zoologist, with a master’s degree in molecular biology, he blends these two fields to better understand the complex physiology of animals, with a particular focus on wildlife endocrinology.
Areas of interest: Wildlife Endocrinology (reproduction and wellbeing), Molecular biology, Population sustainability
With a background in zoo-based conservation since 2013, she has experience in animal care, population management, and project coordination.
She is also the EEP Coordinator and Studbook Keeper for Javan banteng and Co-Vice Chair of the EAZA Population Management Advisory Group.
Areas of interest: Banteng, anoa and babirusa conservation, Indonesian conservation, in and ex-situ conservation breeding projects
Areas of interest: nature connection, wellbeing, greenspace, global biodiversity targets, human dimensions of conservation
Rebecca works on population-level research both in- and ex-situ.
Her work uses data-based approaches to inform management and conservation, often using secondary data sources, such as zoo records.
She has a strong background in bioacoustics research and is active in the study of sound in zoos and animal vocal communication.
Areas of interest: Bioacoustics, animal population management, experimental design, data analysis, ZIMS data
Jacqui applies a multi-disciplinary approach and integrates practical field techniques with spatial and population modelling in her role. With over a decade of experience addressing conservation challenges across Eastern and Southern Africa, she has expanded her work to promoting human-wildlife coexistence in Asia.
Areas of interest: animal telemetry, habitat selection and movement ecology, species distribution and occupancy modelling, population density estimates, Earth observation techniques and human-wildlife conflicts
Areas of interest: Social research (design, methods and analysis), Global conservation policy (e.g. the Global Biodiversity Framework), Role of zoos (for both species and society).
Laura combines her training as a behaviourist and her passion for data to develop novel ways to monitor the behaviour of species at the zoo.
This allows her to contribute to the creation of longitudinal data for poorly researched species, increasing the knowledge scientists have of behavioural ecologies of endangered wildlife.
Areas of interest: behavioural monitoring, study design, technology in conservation, analysis of behavioural data
Her background in mechanical engineering and microbiology led to a PhD working in materials science and virology (both human and animal viruses). Her experience in the field and interest in broadening her research scope has brought her to Chester Zoo as the EEHV researcher on team.
Helena is the zoo's Research Officer facilitating all research projects on the zoo site.
She manages the research project and ethical review process, the scholars and fellows programme, biological sample requests and answers external research requests.
Areas of interest: human and animal ethics; survey and monitoring techniques; reptile conservation; postgraduate research in conservation
She holds roles within the EAZA Reproductive Management Group, EAZA Cryopreservation Interest Group, EAZA Biobank and EAZA Research Committee and the IUCN Animal Biobanking for Conservation Specialist Group.
Liz Webb has nearly two decades of teaching and conservation experience. She manages and develops professional and higher education courses, from design to evaluation, and is involved in the development of apprenticeships and placements at the zoo. She is also an honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Chester.
Areas of interest: Conservation training, professional and higher education teaching, countryside management, animal conservation, animal husbandry and biodiversity.
Leah has twenty years experience in avian conservation science and behavioural ecology, and leads the Population Biology Research Programme working across in-situ and ex-situ projects with a focus on population sustainability. She manages a small team of scientists and supervises several PhD students from different universities. Leah is also a vice-chair of the EAZA Population Management Advisory Group and is the EAZA Ex-situ Programme (EEP) coordinator for the blue-throated macaw.
Areas of interest: Conservation science, ornithology, field and zoo-based research, population management, technology in conservation (camera trapping, bioacoustics)
Areas of interest: global conservation, project design & management, conservation partnership & stakeholder management