Meet the conservation and veterinary team

Helen manages the RZSS conservation department. She leads a diverse team of field scientists, geneticists, animal managers and conservation planners who are enacting the RZSS pledge to reverse the decline of 50 species by 2030. She is the project lead for Saving Wildcats. 

Contact: hsenn@rzss.org.uk 

Helen leads the conservation field team’s work on a wide variety of species, from tiny pine hoverflies to elusive giant armadillos. She has experience in managing conservation breeding and translocation programmes and is an IUCN CPSG-accredited Conservation Planning facilitator. 

Contact htaylor@rzss.org.uk 

Alex manages the RZSS WildGenes team, the only zoo-based conservation genetics laboratory in the UK. Using genetics to inform conservation management, Alex’s team consists of laboratory technicians, scientists and biobank staff. The team works on 15-20 species annually in its efforts to support the conservation department’s wider mission.

Contact: aball@rzss.org.uk 

Liz is the senior laboratory technician at RZSS WildGenes’ conservation genetics laboratory based in Edinburgh Zoo. The lab delivers genetics and genomics data to the team of onsite scientists, supporting the conversation projects at RZSS. Liz also works on international capacity building projects and supports the WildGenes Biobank.

Contact: eheap@rzss.org.uk 

Heather is a scientist in the RZSS WildGenes team, analysing genetic and genomic date produced by the lab team to inform conservation management decisions. Heather is focusing currently on our penguin and native invertebrate projects.

Contact: hritchieparker@rzss.org.uk

Kasia is on the conservation field team. Currently her main focus is on supporting conservation efforts for the charismatic Pallas’s cat and other elusive small cats across Central Asia, as well as delivering a conservation translocation programme for the little-known pond mud snail in Scotland. 

Contact: kruta@rzss.org.uk

Carl’s role allows him to combine a love for conservation with a passion for plants. He is responsible for the conservation breeding project for pine hoverflies and blood-red longhorn beetles, and the implementation of the Biodiversity Action Plan at Highland Wildlife Park. 

Contact: callott@rzss.org.uk

David is the Director of the Budongo Conservation Field Station. He is also currently working towards his PhD on rainforest nutrient cycling. 

Contact: eryenyudave@gmail.com

Arnaud Desbiez founded an NGO called ICAS in Brazil (Wild Animal Conservation Institute) to provide administrative support to the two projects he coordinates: the Giant Armadillo Conservation Program and Anteaters and Highways. 

Contact: adesbiez@rzss.org.uk

Thomas co-ordinates the RZSS African Amphibian & Reptile Program. This project was founded after an RZSS funded expedition to Cameroon in 2006. 

Adam works as an Experienced Invertebrate Keeper on the conservation team at Highland Wildlife Park. His focus is on the invertebrate conservation breeding programs with the Dark Bordered Beauty moth and Medicinal leech whilst assisting with the other native invertebrate projects. 

Contact: abutton@rzss.org.uk

Cecilia is a senior biobank technician in the WildGenes team, overseeing the daily running of the RZSS WildGenes Biobank – a genetic resource holding thousands of biological samples. Cecilia facilitates access to samples by researchers to support global conservation projects through biobank partnerships with the EAZA Biobank and CryoArks network.

Contact: clanghorne@rzss.org.uk 

Laura is a conservation scientist working to deliver our projects based in Africa, including leading the Nahan’s partridge project in Uganda. She also works on our pond mud snail project based in Scotland and supports the conservation team, ensuring the department runs smoothly. 

Contact: ldaniels@rzss.org.uk

Magda is the genomics technician at RZSS WildGenes, the conservation genetics laboratory at Edinburgh Zoo. She works on generating genomic and genetic data used by the RZSS scientists, contributing to the RZSS conservation projects. 

Contact: mbutowska@rzss.org.uk

Sam is a research assistant in the RZSS WildGenes team with a background in ecology and evolutionary genetics. Sam’s role involves analysis and interpretation of the data generated by the laboratory team, preparing summary reports for conservation partners that will help them make better informed conservation management decisions. 

Contact: smitchell@rzss.org.uk

Jo works as part of the RZSS WildGenes team, processing and analysing genetic data to support a variety of our conservation projects. Currently Jo is focusing on desert antelope and gazelles, giraffes and wildcat projects. 

Contact: jhmccombe@rzss.org.uk

Georgina leads the field team at Highland Wildlife Park. She manages various invertebrate conservation breeding and translocation projects including pine hoverflies, dark bordered beauty moths, and medicinal leeches. She is also responsible for overseeing the park's Biodiversity Action Plan. 

Contact: glindsay@rzss.org.uk

David is the Ex-situ conservation manager and manages our wildcat Conservation Breeding for Release Centre at Highland Wildlife Park. He is also the UK breeding programme coordinator for wildcats, the European and International Breeding programme coordinator for Pallas’s cats and the EAZA Felid TAG co-chair. 

Contact: dbarclay@rzss.org.uk

Louise leads on planning both the long-term and day-to-day activities of the team responsible for pre and post-release monitoring of the wildcats. As well as coordinating field team logistics, surveying an extensive network of camera traps and tracking released wildcats, Louise manages stakeholder engagement objectives and relationships with landowners and land managers.

Contact: lohughes@rzss.org.uk

Helena is responsible for overseeing the outreach and engagement activities of Saving Wildcats, which includes the project’s community engagement, communications and fundraising. She has a background in felid conservation and public engagement, with an interest in using social science methodologies to engage communities with wildlife restoration.

Contact: hparsons@rzss.org.uk 

Dr Rebecca Amos is the lead vet for the RZSS ex-situ invertebrate conservation projects. In addition, she assists on the Saving Wildcats conservation project whilst also providing veterinary care for the diverse animal collection at the Highland Wildlife Park. 

Contact: ramos@rzss.org.uk

I qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2017 after completing the Veterinary Nursing BSc degree. I have completed certificates in Emergency and Critical Care and Advanced Veterinary Nursing Zoo Animal certificate. Louise has worked in first opinion, emergency, referral and teaching before joining the team in May 2022.

Contact: lstott@rzss.org.uk

Hannah is a Registered Veterinary nurse with a diploma in Veterinary nursing of Exotic and zoological species. She works with the wide variety of species at the zoo, from the tiny Partula snails to the giraffes. She works with the Veterinary team to maintain animal health welfare. 

Contact: hbrazier@rzss.org.uk

After working in Southern Africa as a wildlife vet for different conservation projects, she is the most recent member of the RZSS veterinary team with a passion for wild felids. 

Contact: bferreira@rzss.org.uk