Academic Visitor

Dr Paolo Strampelli

PROFILE

I am a researcher specialising in population monitoring of African large carnivores, especially over large and remote areas. I am visiting researcher at WildCRU, where I also carried out my DPhil research, which focussed on multi-species population modelling in the Ruaha-Rungwa conservation landscape in Tanzania. I am now Panthera’s Lion Conservation Scientist, and I help improve and guide Panthera’s lion population research and monitoring at the organisation’s different sites. I carried out my DPhil with WildCRU between 2017 and 2021, studying the spatial ecology of the globally important but poorly-know large carnivore guild of the Ruaha-Rungwa landscape, in southern Tanzania.

 My research focussed on how anthropogenic pressures impact spatial partitioning, habitat use, and inter-species interactions in modern African conservation landscapes, and also comprised one of the first empirical lion population assessment in Tanzania. Prior to this, I obtained an MSc in Conservation Science from Imperial College London, for which I carried out research on leopard status and habitat use in southern Mozambique. I have carried out large carnivore research and conservation work in Mozambique, Malawi, and Tanzania.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Camera trapping and spatially explicit capture–recapture for the monitoring and conservation management of lions: Insights from a globally important population in Tanzania

Authors: Strampelli, P. | Searle, C.E. | Smit, J.B. | Henschel, P. | Mkuburo, L. | Ikanda, D. | Macdonald, D.W. | Dickman, A.J.
Date: 2022
Publication: Ecological Solutions and Evidence
Read abstract
https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12129

Spatially explicit camera trap-based lion monitoring in Tanzania’s Selous–Nyerere landscape

Authors: Searle, C. E | Strampelli, P. | Parsais, S. N. | Haule, L. | Olesyapa, K. | Salum, N. D. | Hape, G. | Elisa, M. | Mathayo, D. | Ikanda, D. | Mtoka, S. | Lobora, A. L. | Oriol-Cotterill, A. | Dickman, A. J.
Date: 2025
Publication: Journal of Zoology
Read abstract
https://doi.org/0.1111/jzo.70019

African wild dog population status in the Selous-Nyerere landscape, southern Tanzania: Insights from camera trap surveys

Authors: Parsais, S. N. | Searle, C. E. | Strampelli, P. | Moyo, F. | Giliba, R. A. | Haule, L. | Olesyapa. K. K. | Salum, N. D. | Hape, G. | Elisa, M. | Lobora, A. L. | Cotterill, A. | Doody, K. | Dickman, A. J.
Date: 2025
Publication: Global Ecology and Conservation
Read abstract
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03621

Temporal partitioning and spatiotemporal avoidance among large carnivores in a human-impacted African landscape

Authors: Searle, C.E. | Cusack, J.J. | Smit, J. | Strampelli, P. | Grau, A. | Mkuburo, L. | Macdonald, D.W. | Loveridge, A.J. | Dickman, A.J.
Date: 2021
Publication: PLOS ONE
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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256876

Leopard population density varies across habitats and management strategies in a mixed-use Tanzanian landscape

Authors: Searle, C.E. | Smit, J. | Strampelli, P. | Mkuburo, L. | Ikanda, D. | Macdonald, D.W. | Loveridge, A.J. | Dickman, A.J.
Date: 2021
Publication: Biological Conservation
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109120

Cheetahs in Tanzania’s Selous–Nyerere ecosystem: lack of evidence for current persistence, and reflections on historical status

Authors: Searle, C.E. | Strampelli, P. | Haule, L. | Parsais, S.N. | Olesyapa, K. | Salum, N.D. | Ikanda, D. | Mtoka, S. | Hape, G. | Mathayo, D. | Manase, E. | Lobora, A.L. | Dickman, A.J.
Date: 2023
Publication: Oryx
Read abstract
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605323001424

Camera trapping and spatially explicit capture–recapture for the monitoring and conservation management of lions: Insights from a globally important population in Tanzania

Authors: Strampelli, P. | Searle, C.E. | Smit, J.B. | Henschel, P. | Mkuburo, L. | Ikanda, D. | Macdonald, D.W. | Dickman, A.J.
Date: 2022
Publication: Ecological Solutions and Evidence
https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12129

Spatially explicit camera trap-based lion monitoring in Tanzania’s Selous–Nyerere landscape

Authors: Searle, C. E | Strampelli, P. | Parsais, S. N. | Haule, L. | Olesyapa, K. | Salum, N. D. | Hape, G. | Elisa, M. | Mathayo, D. | Ikanda, D. | Mtoka, S. | Lobora, A. L. | Oriol-Cotterill, A. | Dickman, A. J.
Date: 2025
Publication: Journal of Zoology
https://doi.org/0.1111/jzo.70019

African wild dog population status in the Selous-Nyerere landscape, southern Tanzania: Insights from camera trap surveys

Authors: Parsais, S. N. | Searle, C. E. | Strampelli, P. | Moyo, F. | Giliba, R. A. | Haule, L. | Olesyapa. K. K. | Salum, N. D. | Hape, G. | Elisa, M. | Lobora, A. L. | Cotterill, A. | Doody, K. | Dickman, A. J.
Date: 2025
Publication: Global Ecology and Conservation
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03621

Temporal partitioning and spatiotemporal avoidance among large carnivores in a human-impacted African landscape

Authors: Searle, C.E. | Cusack, J.J. | Smit, J. | Strampelli, P. | Grau, A. | Mkuburo, L. | Macdonald, D.W. | Loveridge, A.J. | Dickman, A.J.
Date: 2021
Publication: PLOS ONE
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256876

Leopard population density varies across habitats and management strategies in a mixed-use Tanzanian landscape

Authors: Searle, C.E. | Smit, J. | Strampelli, P. | Mkuburo, L. | Ikanda, D. | Macdonald, D.W. | Loveridge, A.J. | Dickman, A.J.
Date: 2021
Publication: Biological Conservation
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109120

Cheetahs in Tanzania’s Selous–Nyerere ecosystem: lack of evidence for current persistence, and reflections on historical status

Authors: Searle, C.E. | Strampelli, P. | Haule, L. | Parsais, S.N. | Olesyapa, K. | Salum, N.D. | Ikanda, D. | Mtoka, S. | Hape, G. | Mathayo, D. | Manase, E. | Lobora, A.L. | Dickman, A.J.
Date: 2023
Publication: Oryx
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605323001424
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