Zoo Member Price (with use of promo code): $10.00
Wild Tales: John Watkin, Okapi Conservation Project
December 19, 2024, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Zoo Miami Front Entry - Florida Room
“John Watkin is an established conservation practitioner with over 30-years of experience across Africa and globally. Born and raised in Zambia, and later living in Vanuatu, his early exposure to diverse ecosystems shaped his conservation career. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Applied Biology from Nottingham Trent University and a Master's in Advanced Ecology from Durham University.
From 1992-2004, Watkin worked as a field ecologist in East, Central and Southern Africa, specializing in protected area management, ecological monitoring, and community-based conservation. His fluency in French and Swahili enabled effective collaboration with local communities and governments.
His career evolved from field work to strategic conservation leadership roles in the philanthropic sector, including Grant Director at the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund at Conservation International, Program Officer at MacArthur Foundation, and CEO of Sahara Conservation. Notable achievements include, implementing species reintroduction programs including the scimitar-horned oryx in Chad and western lowland gorillas in Congo-Brazzaville, managing multi-million-dollar grant portfolios, and developing innovative conservation financing mechanisms.
John currently serves as Deputy Director at Wildlife Conservation Global and continues to influence conservation practice through the work of the Okapi Conservation Project in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, focusing on the 13,726km2 Okapi Wildlife Reserve. His career exemplifies the integration of field-based conservation experience with high-level strategic leadership in international conservation.”
