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| Mission
Statement
The Endangered Species Problem
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The ESRC members are drawn from scientific, conservation, and educational
institutions around the world. All are committed to ACTION - to contributing
their knowledge gained from experience and working together as a team to
recover and restore endangered species wherever and whenever practical
opportunities exist. Most ESRC members have already received recognition
and acclaim for projects they have undertaken in the past or currently
have in progress. The following brief biographies describe these people
and the resources they bring to bear on ESRC programs.
"If it is granted that biodiversity is at high risk, what is to be done? The solution will require cooperation among professionals long separated by academic and practical tradition" E.O. Wilson, The Diversity of Life
ESRC MEMBERS:
Brian D. Bell, QSM, FRAOU Brian
Bell has a distinguished career spanning more than 35 years of efforts
to conserve vulnerable and endangered flora and fauna. While working for
the New Zealand Wildlife Service, he directed numerous programs to restore
island ecosystems. He is truly a pioneer in developing and conducting hands-on
operations to save endangered species. After retiring from the NZWS he
established an active consulting business working throughout the Southern
Oceans to bring solutions to problems at a wide variety of locations outside
of New Zealand. He has published numerous scientific papers and received
many honors for his work, including the Queen's Service Medal (1984) for
contributions to endangered species management and eradication of exotic
animals on islands.
A
Full Professor of Wildlife Biology and Director of the Avian Science and
Conservation Centre of McGill University in Quebec, Canada, David has focused
much of his efforts on raptorial birds, especially falcons. He has a strong
interest in collaborative efforts to conserve avian species through applied
interdisciplinary approaches. He is a Past President of the Raptor Research
Foundation and is active in the World Working Group on Birds of Prey. David
has a strong background in public relations, interpreting science and conservation
to the lay community. He has published widely, including over 90 articles
in refereed scientific journals, and supervises a variety of Master's and
Ph.D. graduate students.
William T. Everett Bill
is the President and Founder of the Endangered Species Recovery Council,
and is the Senior Conservation Biologist for the Western Foundation of
Vertebrate Zoology. He is a Research Associate of the San Diego Natural
History Museum, a Research Fellow of the Zoological Society of San Diego,
a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of London, and a Fellow of the
Explorers Club. He is a Past Chair of the Pacific Seabird Group, an international
conservation and research organization. Bill has worked on a wide variety
of endangered species projects spanning 25 years. He has studied bowhead
whales in Alaska, river dolphins in Amazonia, declining bird species in
the Marquesas Islands, and has traveled to Antarctica, Asia, the Galapagos
Islands, and extensively throughout South America and the Pacific. At home
in California, he works on a variety of endangered species issues. From
1991 through 1997 he was a Principal Investigator in the effort to save
one of North America's most endangered birds, the San Clemente Loggerhead
Shrike.
Craig S. Harrison, Esq. Craig
Harrison practices environmental law in the Washington, D.C. law office
of Hunton & Williams. Prior to his law career, he was a wildlife biologist
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in both Alaska and Hawaii. He has
written numerous scientific and popular papers, and is the author of the
Cornell University published Seabirds of Hawaii, which was nominated
for the Wildlife Society's book award. He has represented or served on
the boards of the Trust for Public Land, International Council for Bird
Preservation, and the Pacific Seabird Group. He is currently Secretary
of the Board of Directors of the American Bird Conservancy and Vice-Chair
for Conservation for the Pacific Seabird Group.
Nancy C. Harvey, Ph.D. A
behaviorist who has worked with primates and birds, Nancy specializes in
reproductive behavior, parental care, and development for ultimate re-introduction
of captive-reared animals to the wild. She has helped with studies on Golden
Monkeys in China; Chimpanzees in Gabon, West Africa; California Condors;
San Clemente Loggerhead Shrikes; and more recently with the Amakihi in
Hawaii. She received her Ph.D. in Anthropology from Rutgers University
in 1981, and currently works as an Associate Behaviorist at the Center
for Reproduction of Endangered Species at the San Diego Zoo.
Rod Hay, Ph.D. With
over 20 years experience in ecological research and management in New Zealand
and throughout the Pacific, Rod has developed and implemented many integrated,
practical programs leading to recovery of such species as the Kakerori
in Rarotonga and populations of the Kokako in New Zealand. He has designed
management programs for endangered birds in Western Samoa and Niue, and
assisted with threatened bird programs in New Caledonia. Rod is a member
of the World Wildlife Fund's New Zealand Scientific Advisory Committee
and International Pacific Program. He is currently the Unit Leader of the
Science and Research Division of the New Zealand Department of Conservation.
Donald L. Janssen, D.V.M. As
Director of Veterinary Services for the Zoological Society of San Diego,
Don supervises one of the world's largest and most diverse exotic animal
veterinary facilities. He often applies knowledge gained in a zoo setting
to benefit populations and species of wild animals in their native habitats.
He has done research in Africa on Lions, Elephants, Buffalo, and Impala,
and helped with efforts to conserve Baird's Tapir in Panama. He has played
a key role in the program to save the California Condor, and is involved
in ongoing research on the reproductive biology of the Giant Panda at the
San Diego Zoo. Don is a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological
Medicine.
Lloyd F. Kiff Having
served over 25 years as Director of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate
Zoology, Lloyd is currently Science Director for The Peregrine Fund. He
chaired the California Condor Recovery Team for seven years, but his research
and conservation efforts range far wider, including programs in Ecuador,
Borneo, Mexico, Guatemala, and Kenya. He is a past President of the Cooper
Ornithological Society, and a world authority on bird eggs and the effects
of DDT. His research has appeared in every major ornithological journal.
Andrea L. Koonce, Ph.D. Andi
is President of the International Association of Wildland Fire, and has
worked as Project Leader of International Fire Research and Prescribed
Fire Research for the U.S. Forest Service at the Riverside Forest Fire
Laboratory. She was previously Director of the Fire Science Center at the
University of Wisconsin, and has worked on the fire regimes throughout
Central America. Andi has also assisted with the study and management of
conifer forests in Israel. She has received a Ph.D. n both Forest Science
and Botany and Plant Pathology. Andi creates new and unconventional techniques
to prevent or reduce the incidence and spread of fire in remote areas,
especially relative to restoration of degraded habitats.
Cynthia Kuehler Formerly
Curator of Zoology at the San Diego Zoo, Cyndi currently runs The Peregrine
Fund's Hawaiian Endangered Bird Conservation Program. Trained at the University
of California at Davis in genetics and avian reproductive science, she
has developed techniques for captive propagation and rearing some of the
world's most endangered birds. She has also successfully conducted translocation
projects with endangered lories in French Polynesia, and worked on conservation
of birds in China. She has received awards for her work with the Francois
Langur, the San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike, and the California Condor.
Alan Lieberman A
Vertebrate Zoologist, Alan has worked as both Curator of Birds and Curator
of Herpetology at the San Diego Zoo. Together with his wife Cyndi Kuehler,
he is currently Program Coordinator for The Peregrine Fund's Hawaiian Endangered
Bird Conservation Program. Alan has worked with reintroductions of Andean
Condors in Colombia and translocations of lories in French Polynesia. Cali,
Colombia, awarded him the "Cruz Verde" for his conservation work on a wide
variety of projects. The Nature Conservancy International consulted with
Alan in establishing a Natural Heritage Program Data bank in the Cauca
Valley, Colombia. He has multiple skills and capabilities for field work
in often harsh conditions.
Donald V. Merton, QSM; DSc Perhaps
best known for his success during the 1980’s in devising and leading the
program that saved the world's most endangered bird, the Chatham Islands
Black Robin, Don has been at the forefront of many of New Zealand's world-renowned
conservation programs for the last 40 years. He is currently Senior Technical
Officer in the Kakapo Management Group, within the Biodiversity Recovery
Unit of the New Zealand Department of Conservation. He has also played
an active role in endangered species recovery and island restoration in
Australia, Mauritius, the Seychelles, and Christmas Island (Indian Ocean).
Don has pioneered recovery strategies & techniques for many critically-endangered
life forms both within his native New Zealand and beyond, and has received
a number of awards and accolades for his work, including the prestigious
Queen's Service Medal (1989), the Royal Society of New Zealand’s Fleming
Award for Environmental Achievement (1990), the honorary degree of Doctor
of Science (Massey University, 1992), the Royal Society for the Protection
of Birds (UK) medal (1994) and in 1998 he was elected to the United Nations
Environment Program’s Global 500 Roll of Honor, in recognition of
his outstanding contribution to species survival.
Patrick J. Morris, D.V.M. An
Associate Veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo, Pat conducts a wide spectrum
of diagnoses and treatment procedures. He also has a strong interest in
insular wild species, and the effects of pathogens on population stability
and recovery. Formerly with the Knoxville Zoological Gardens, he received
his D.V.M from the University of California at Davis, in 1983. He served
as an Assistant Professor in Zoo/Wildlife Medicine at the University of
Knoxville, Tennessee. He is certified in Diagnosis of Foreign Animal Diseases,
and has contributed substantially to research publication in his area of
expertise.
David C. Oren, Ph.D. As
head of the Zoology Division of the prestigious Emilio Goeldi Museum in
Belem, Brazil, David has had more than 20 years experience in Amazonia.
Although he is an ornithologist by training, he has gained a keen appreciation
for the complexity of tropical rain forest ecosystems, including the important
role played by indigenous peoples. In addition to his own pioneering work,
he regularly serves as advisor to the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation
International, the MacArthur Foundation and a variety of other organizations
working to secure neotropical rain forests. He received his Bachelor's
Degree at Yale in 1975 and his Ph.D. at Harvard in 1981.
Randall R. Reeves, Ph.D. One
of the world's leading authorities on whales and dolphins, Randall is the
IUCN Species Survival Commission's Cetacean Specialist Group Chairman.
He has consulted with the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission and is involved
in efforts to protect rare and endangered Asian River Dolphins and other
species around the globe. He is a Research Associate of the Smithsonian
Institution, has published eight books, over 160 technical papers, and
received several awards for his work.
Bruce A. Rideout, D.V.M., Ph.D. Veterinary
pathology is the specialty of this University of California at Davis trained
scientist. Bruce is Director of Pathology for the San Diego Zoo and Wild
Animal Park. His diagnostic pathology services include necropsies, histopathology,
surgical biopsies, and cytologies. In addition to his veterinary degree,
he holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Pathology. He has served as a Pathology
Consultant on the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill and a variety of endangered species
recovery programs, and developed protocols for field collection of pathology
samples. He completed a residency at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.,
and has received numerous awards and honors for his work.
John P. Rieger Co-founder
of the Society for Ecological Restoration, John has developed many techniques
for restoration of native habitats, especially wetlands. He is a lead instructor
at the Wetland Training Institute in Maryland for Wetland Design, Construction,
and Monitoring. Many of his pioneering projects have focused on habitats
for endangered species, including riparian corridors, vernal pools, and
tidal salt marshes. He has organized and participated in numerous symposia
on habitat restoration, and currently works in Southern California for
the California Department of Transportation as well as being an active
consultant in a wide variety of restoration and management projects.
Alan J. Saunders Alan
(ESRC VP) is the Mainland Islands Technical Coordinator (recently Manager
of the Threatened Species Unit) of the New Zealand Department of Conservation.
He has oversight responsibility for one of the world's most successful
hands-on governmental conservation organizations. He also has an extensive
background in field experience and augments this ability with skills in
teamwork, leadership, communication, business management, and strategic
planning. Alan has shared his knowledge and experience on projects in Australia,
Japan, Hawaii, Mexico, the United States, Guam, and Saudi Arabia.
Brent S. Stewart, Ph.D., J.D. Brent
is an expert on the biology of marine mammals. For nearly 25 years he has
researched pinniped populations, and was instrumental in several innovative
projects to successfully track marine mammals using satellite telemetry.
He has traveled from the Arctic to the Antarctic, to Lake Baikal, Greenland,
Iceland, and a variety of other remote and isolated locations. He received
his Ph.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles, his Law Degree
from Boalt Hall at U.C. Berkeley, and is currently a Senior Research Biologist
at the Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute in San Diego. He is also a Foreign
Affairs Officer and Diplomacy Fellow for the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, United States Department of State, Bureau of Oceans
and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Brent has received
the National Science Foundation's Antarctic Service Medal, a Certificate
of Deep Submersible Diving from the Russian Academy of Sciences, and is
a Fellow of the Explorers Club.
Sherry Teresa Sherry is the Founder and President of the Center for Natural Lands Management (CNLM), a non-profit organization dedicated to long-term proper care of valuable undisturbed parcels of public and private lands. The CNLM provides management and planning services for organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and a wide range of other stewardship associations and agencies. Sherry emphasizes the importance of long-term financial planning and wise land management as a key element of any endangered species recovery effort. The CNLM grew out of her work as a Unit Biologist for the California Department of Fish and Game, recognizing a critical missing element in the way smaller tracts of native habitat were cared for. Joe teaches
science and technology and is president of Quest-Tek, a high-tech electronics
company located in Irvine, California. His work focuses on the application
of technology to understand, monitor, and record environmental parameters.
Joe's company, Quest-Tek, is a leader in the development and application
of micro-miniature wireless video systems for education, science, and research.
Working with Yale Medical School and NASA, he developed a miniature head-mounted
wireless video system that interfaces to a tiny Pentium wearable computer.
He also developed a system used by climbers to send the first live full
motion broadcast video from atop the south summit of Mount Everest. Collaborating
with Scripps Institute of Oceanography, he designed and implemented sophisticated
underwater video equipment to monitor and document the marine environment
in Antarctica. Joe has also developed over 20 educational web sites, several
of which were integrated directly into the Reef Quest and Ocean Quest television
series he co-hosted. He has produced an interactive educational CD-ROM
and several video documentaries including "Antarctica", "Underwater Antarctica",
and "Antarctica the Beautiful". Clearly, there are many applications for
these high technology capabilities in endangered species recovery work.
Dick Veitch A
key member of the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC), Dick has
played a central role for nearly 40 years in the recovery of numerous endangered
species. He is a specialist in ecological restoration, and has a reputation
for relentless tenacity in working under difficult conditions, often on
remote and inhospitable islands. He has pioneered many techniques for removal
of destructive non-native predatory and pest species. He has consulted
on endangered species and habitat recovery projects world wide, including
Australia, Hawaii, England, Mexico, the Seychelles Islands and Mauritius
Island, and is a member of the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group and
Translocation Specialist Group. Dick is also well known for his many scientific
publications on ecological restoration. Recently retired from DOC, Dick
continues his work in part for the ESRC as our Senior Restoration Analyst.
A
conservation geneticist who introduced methods of non-invasive genotyping
based on DNA extracted from hair, feathers, and feces, David is a Professor
of Biology at the University of California, San Diego. His recent work
on evolution and conservation has involved chimpanzees in Africa, and gibbons,
hornbills, and crocodiles in Southeast Asia. He is currently developing
non-invasive methods of genotyping wild elephants and of monitoring the
process of genetic erosion in populations of vertebrates isolated on islands
and in recently fragmented rainforest patches. Trained at the University
of Melbourne and Harvard University, he serves as a Trustee of the Zoological
Society of San Diego, is a member of the Conservation Breeding Specialist
Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Species
Survival Commission, and the National Science Foundation.
Pamela K. Yochem, D.V.M. Pam
is the Senior Vice President for Research at the Hubbs-Sea World Research
Institute in San Diego. For 20 years she has worked on a wide variety of
research and management-related projects involving marine mammals, including
potential impacts of space vehicle launch-generated noise on the biota
of the California Channel Islands, entanglement of pinnipeds in fishing
gear and other marine debris, and the effects of oil spills on marine mammal
populations. She has worked in the Antarctic, conducted satellite telemetry
studies on Harbor Seals in California, conducted experiments to determine
the ability of porpoises to echolocate tuna purse seine nets, and has flown
aerial surveys for marine mammals off California and in the Arctic. She
also works as a veterinary consultant for Sea World of California.
She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Comparative Pathology at U.C. Davis.
Affiliate Members:
Well
known for his successful restoration and endangered species work in Hawaii
and throughout the Pacific, Mark is a Program Manager for the ESRC, through
which he deploys his considerable understanding and talent on discrete
projects, and acts as needed as a representative for the organization.
Mark also has substantial skills as an educator and wildlife artist.
A
recent addition to the ESRC staff, Geri is now our Administrative Associate,
performing the wide variety of tasks necessary to keep the organization
(and our Web Site) running smoothly. She is a recent Magna Cum Laude
graduate of the University of California at Irvine in Applied Ecology.
Her wide-ranging skills bring significantly increased efficiency to the
ESRC.
The ESRC is also proud to be a Policy Council Member of the American Bird Conservancy and a Corporate Member of the Society for Ecological Restoration. |
"We have not inherited the earth from our fathers, we are borrowing it from our children."
American Indian Saying
© 2000 Endangered Species Recovery Council. All rights reserved.
