I’m a biologist and early-career wildlife ecologist from the Land of the Leopard National Park. I hail from the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, where I grew up far from the realms of biology – until a fleeting meeting with a roe deer led me to study wildlife. The journey that started then took me 8,000km from my hometown, to the significant and unique – from a nature’s point of view – landscape of Primorsky Province. Here, amidst the wonders of nature, I have found my calling.

My training in wildlife conservation commenced during my studies at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia. In February 2016 I participated in the Amur Tiger Project of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS-Russia) where I learned snow-tracking and route counting of ungulates and small predators. After that, I joined the Far Eastern Leopard (Amur leopard) Project in the Land of the Leopard National Park, and later became assistant research scientist. I developed fieldwork skills, particularly camera-trapping. My research focused on the leopard population, including population dynamics, consequences of inbreeding and population restoration processes.

I see my time at Oxford as a great opportunity to benefit from the substantial knowledge the WildCRU Diploma has to offer. I expect this time will enable me to progress my career. In due course I aspire to contribute developing wildlife conservation in my country’s protected areas, starting from the Land of the Leopard National Park. With this Diploma I will have a greater chance to participate in decision-making processes and may better influence conservation planning of the Far Eastern leopard in my region – and over time, hopefully in neighbouring countries as well.