Claudio Sillero Zubiri grew up in Argentina where he graduated in zoology before moving to Africa in the 1980s. His professional interests are conservation biology and behavioral ecology of carnivores, with a particular focus on wild canids. Claudio has been working on conservation of threatened species for 20 years, spanning four continents and working in many countries. In 1994 he received a doctorate from Oxford University for his work on the rare Ethiopian wolves, which was recognized by the 1998 Whitley Award from the Royal Geographical Society.

More recently, Claudio has become increasingly involved in the relationships between protected areas and their surrounding rural communities.

“This has led me to greater familiarity with biodiversity conservation policies and practices, culminating in current work on mitigating conflict between wildlife and human interests,” he says.

Claudio’s position at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) in Oxford is funded by the Born Free Foundation, which generously supports the time and resources dedicated to the Canid Specialist Group. “Last year was a watershed for the Group. We celebrated David Macdonald’s 24 years at the Canid Specialist Group helm by publishing a new multiauthor Canid Action Plan and a companion book on the biology and conservation of wild canids,” says Claudio.

As the Group’s new Chair, Claudio’s goal will be to implement many of the projects and actions contained in the Action Plan and to continue developing the global network of canid biologists and conservationists by fine-tuning the regional and working group approach.