Dr. Sarah Durant is an internationally recognized conservation scientist with over 30 years of experience specializing in large carnivore ecology and conservation. She is a Professor at the Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London (ZSL), where she leads the Serengeti Cheetah Project—the world’s longest-running study of wild cheetahs—and the African Range-wide Cheetah Conservation Initiative, which works to reverse cheetah population declines and secure conservation landscapes across the continent.
Dr. Durant’s work emphasizes integrating ecological science with community needs to develop sustainable conservation strategies. She founded the Tanzania Carnivore Program in 2002, building national research capacity and addressing human-wildlife conflict in critical ecosystems. Her affiliations include the IUCN Cat Specialist Group and Pangolin Specialist Group, and she has published widely on carnivore conservation, connectivity, and biodiversity policy.
Dr. Durant holds a Ph.D. in Conservation Biology and a B.A. in Applied Biology from the University of Cambridge. Her deep knowledge and collaborative approach continue to shape conservation policy and practice across Africa.