Stewart Thompson is Emeritus Professor in Biodiversity Conservation at Oxford Brookes University and a landscape ecologist with more than 35 years of experience in applied conservation work. His research focuses on how wildlife responds to conservation strategies, particularly across large, human-altered landscapes. He holds a Ph.D. from Oxford Brookes University and a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from Hatfield Polytechnic in the UK.

Dr. Thompson's research is focused on understanding how land-use changes and conservation policies affect wildlife populations. Studying hoofed mammals and other species across East Africa, he examines how population size, distribution and behavior respond to different management approaches. He has conducted long-term research in the Maasai Mara since 2012, working within wildlife conservancies to track changes in animal populations and inform management decisions. His findings are used to refine conservation strategies and guide policy at both local and landscape scales. In the field, he combines ecological monitoring with hands-on teaching, often working alongside students and conservation teams. Years of leading field courses in places like India’s Ranthambore Tiger Reserve have shaped his approach, using real-world encounters with wildlife to deepen understanding of conservation challenges. Through this work, he has helped translate ecological research into practical conservation tools, supporting more effective wildlife management in rapidly changing environments.