Philip Muruthi

Philip Muruthi, Director of Conservation Science for the African Wildlife Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya.

"As chief scientist at AWF, Philip’s work is as diverse as the wildlife he fights to conserve. He works with a growing team of researchers and scientists and oversees AWF’s species research programs throughout all eight African Heartlands.

"And Philip knows his wildlife. He is interested in ecology, specializing in the ecology of disturbed populations, and the impact of humans on wildlife populations.

"As cities sprawl and people move deeper into previously uninhabited wilderness, the buffer zone between humans and animals continues to shrink. The resulting conflict threatens to undermine the survival of wildlife due to a decrease in available habitat and diminishing conservation values in the community.

"As a result, Philip faces the conservation of a particular species from a broad perspective, ensuring that the species is part of an integrated conservation plan which takes into account landscape-level approaches, social, and economic issues. He is responsible for issues as varied as the kind of endangerment classification a species should receive or how resources should be allocated.

"In addition, Philip is responsible for liaising with conservation staff in and outside Africa, and staying current on key issues and trends, to shape AWF species and landscape-scale conservation initiatives and activities. So whether that means tracking a black rhino in East Tsavo National Park, or making a presentation to the Society for Conservation Biology, Philip can be found hard at work for Africa’s wildlife."

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• Did his PhD at the Mpala Research Centre