Our Team

Chris Englezou is an aquatic researcher and naturalist primarily interested in freshwater teleosts, crustacea, and macrophytes. His personal research includes the freshwater and coastal habitats on the island of Cyprus, where he has surveyed extensively since 2012 documenting the distribution and behaviour of aquatic biodiversity. In 2015 he lead a team that discovered a new population of the Cyprus killifish, one of only 3 now known, and went on to work on research that identified a distinct correlation between anthropogenic habitat pressures and reduced genetic diversity in Cypriot killifish populations. Chris has also explored freshwater ecosystems in the rainforests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America, as well jungles and mangroves across the hills and coasts of the Western Ghats in India. Chris has over 25 years of experience with aquarium fish keeping and husbandry, and 20 years working on small-scale wildlife pond installation and wildflower meadows with local community groups in the UK and is passionate about mitigating the plight of threatened native British flora and fauna.

Dr Sara Thornton is a Finlandssvensk researcher who grew up in the Netherlands. From a young age she had a deep affinity for the outdoors and growing up around wetlands and forests set her on the course of studying Ecological Sciences with Honours in Conservation and Ecological Management at the University of Edinburgh. During this time, she joined research teams in the UK, Peru, and Indonesia and found a passion for tropical peat-swamp forests as an understudied wetland habitat. She worked as a research assistant, and later a volunteer coordinator with the Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF) in Sebangau peat-swamp forest (Indonesian Borneo). For her interdisciplinary PhD (with the University of Leicester and BNF) she returned to Sebangau to explore the ecology of peat-swamp fishes and the importance of fish and fishing to surrounding peatland communities. Her PhD research made practical recommendations for future management actions for peatland restoration and conservation projects, which are currently being implemented by BNF.

Laura Suckley has a BSc in Zoology (Animal Behaviour and Welfare) from the University of Chester and an MSc in Wild Animal Biology. Laura is a seasonal ecologist and has carried out ecological surveys across the UK, in Botswana, and the Peruvian Amazon to collect data for scientific publications. She has conducted butterfly surveys, night surveys (for reptiles and amphibians), and macaw monitoring, as well as UK reptile and amphibian surveying and translocation. Additionally, she has worked with local Peruvian communities to manage human-animal conflict and encourage sustainable living. As part of her work in Botswana, Laura conducted camera trap monitoring and habitat management practices including removing alien vegetation and replanting indigenous species, erosion control, and waterhole maintenance. She has also overseen the progression of our Inner City Pond Project through which she was responsible for the creation of three local wildlife ponds and one large community pond in collaboration with local authorities and community groups in the first year.

Dr Stamatis Zogaris is a research associate at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research in Greece where his work primarily involves biodiversity research and bioassessment; studying fishes & birds, biogeography, habitat types and landscape

Dr Jörg Freyhof is a scientist at the Leibniz institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin. He has worked closely with IUCN as an assessor for red list species and is one of the special advisors to the IUCN Freshwater Fish Specialist group

Brian Zimmerman is the Director of Conservation and Science at Bristol Zoological Society. He is a member of the IUCN Freshwater Fish Specialist Group and a special advisor to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Dr Daniel De Castro is the curator of the Malta National Aquarium. As a child, he was intrigued by the natural world and later went to study in Florida, majoring in zoology.

Dr. Michael Köck is the curator of freshwater, birds, and mammals at Haus des Meeres Aqua Terra Zoo in Vienna, Austria. He has been an instrumental figure in the reintroduction of the critically endangered Zoogoneticus tequila (Tequila Splitfin fish) back into the wild.

Prof. Salih Gücel is Head of the Department of Science & Education and Director of the Institute of Environmental Sciences at the Near East University in Northern Cyprus.

Dr Raymond Caruana is a member of the Aquaculture Directorate Malta responsible for regulating activities and implementing sustainability concerning fisheries and aquaculture.

Dr Neil Gale is the founder of the Magic of Life Butterfly Centre in Aberystwyth, Wales where he works with various rare and endangered butterfly and moth species and many rare species of plants.

Ivan Mikolji is a world-renowned explorer, researcher, audio/visual artist, and author who tirelessly documents the magnificent diversity and wonder of South America.

Andre Schott is director of Fitzrovia Youth in Action, a community action organisation focusing on empowering and supporting young people to develop projects which address the issues they care about.

Professor Roy Yanong is currently President of the American Association of Fish Veterinarians, Chair of the Aquatics Working Group for the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Panel on Euthanasia; a former member and Chair of the AVMA’s Aquatic Veterinary Medicine Committee (AqVMC); and a past member of the AVMA’s Animal Agriculture Liaison Committee

Laura has a BSc in Zoology (Animal Behaviour and Welfare) from the University of Chester and an MSc in Wild Animal Biology. She is the current project manager for our Inner City Pond Project.

Amy Adwan has a BSc in Environmental Science from the University of Limerick and is an experienced ecologist with a demonstrated history of working in the environmental services industry.

Mark studied ecology and conservation at Sparsholt College before completing BSc and MSc research degrees in ecology and biology at the University of Portsmouth. His research interests are in ecosystem function, trophic ecology, biogeochemistry, and also visual communication and cognition of fishes