Sandra Lai is an ecologist and carnivore researcher specializing in canids and small felids. Deeply rooted in fieldwork, her research explores the movements, behavioural adaptations and life-history traits of mammals in extreme environments such as the High Arctic, high mountains, and semi-deserts—regions particularly vulnerable to climate change and human activities. Her research interests focus on understanding how species cope with extreme environments, addressing knowledge gaps about their adaptive mechanisms and informing strategies for biodiversity conservation.

Born and raised in Tahiti, French Polynesia, Sandra moved to Canada for her studies, earning degrees from Université du Québec à Montréal (BSc) and INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier (MSc). For her PhD at Université du Québec à Rimouski within the Canada Research Chair in Northern Biodiversity, she investigated the drivers of winter movements, social organisation and population genetics of Arctic foxes.

She then worked as a postdoctoral researcher and wildlife coordinator for the Alert Wildlife Research Laboratory, studying Arctic hare movements and polar desert biodiversity at Alert (Ellesmere Island), the northernmost permanently inhabited settlement in the world.Sandra’s research uncovered astounding results, such as the flexible winter ranging behaviour of Arctic foxes and the previously unknown large-scale movement capacity of Arctic hares, that transformed the understanding of Arctic ecosystem functioning.

At WildCRU, as senior scientist, Sandra contributes to the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme, researching the ecology, population dynamics, and disease management of endangered Ethiopian wolves while supporting EWCP wolf monitoring and field projectsacross Ethiopia. She also collaborates on conservation efforts for other endangered species, including black-footed cats and island foxes.