The Wildlife Conservation Research Unit
The planet’s human population increases by more than 200,000 people every day. At the same time, global consumption and inequality are rising. As a result, our planetary footprint is unsustainable, with ever more severe and intensifying pressure on finite natural resources throughout the world. The resulting environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change destroys nature and impacts human well-being. The mission of the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) is to achieve practical solutions to conservation problems through original scientific research. Our research is used worldwide to advise environmental policy-makers. The need for our efforts is greater than ever.
Part of the University of Oxford’s Department of Zoology, WildCRU is a pioneering, inter-disciplinary research unit in a world-class academic centre. We underpin solutions to conservation problems through primary scientific research of the highest calibre. Our approach is empirical, interdisciplinary and collaborative, seeking to include all four elements of our “Conservation Quartet” research to understand and address the problem; education to explain it; community involvement to ensure participation and acceptance; and implementation of long-term solutions.
Video narrated by Prof David Macdonald. Created by, and used with the kind permission of United for Wildlife: www.unitedforwildlife.org/
News
Not seeing the forest for the trees: Generalised linear model out-performs random forest in species distribution modelling for Southeast Asian felids
March 2, 2023
Paper by Luca Chiaverini, David W. Macdonald, Andrew J. Hearn, Żaneta Kaszta, Eric Ash, Helen M. Bothwell, Özgün Emre Can, Phan Channa, Gopalasamy ... Read full story
What lies beyond protected areas for carnivores in a Himalayan conservation landscape?
February 25, 2023
By Karma Choki
We often think of tigers and protected areas when we think of Bhutan. But Bhutan has more to offer. Steered by sound conservation policy and ... Read full story
How long do hedgehogs live? Dr Hedgehog discovers the world’s oldest European hedgehog
February 15, 2023
A new study shows that hedgehogs may reach a very high age despite inbreeding.
During 2016 over 400 volunteers collected dead hedgehogs throughout Denmark for the research project ”The ... Read full story