Alexander Lees

Dr. Alexander Lees is a Senior Lecturer in Biodiversity at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) with a Reader appointment since 2022. He holds affiliations with institutions such as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Goeldi Museum in Brazil. His research focuses on tropical conservation, avian migration, and biodiversity monitoring in human-modified ecosystems.

Lees earned a BSc in Biological Sciences (First Class) and a PhD from the University of East Anglia. He completed a PGCLTHE at MMU with Distinction. His career includes postdoctoral roles in Brazil and the US, alongside editorial board memberships for journals like Biotropica and Neotropical Birding.

Research interests span Amazonian conservation strategies, avian vagrancy mechanisms, and mitigating wildlife trade impacts. Notable contributions include co-authoring the Brazilian Red List of Threatened Species and leading the Sustainable Amazon Network (SAN), which evaluates biodiversity-ecosystem trade-offs.

Lees has supervised 4 current and 4 completed PhD students, with active collaborations on projects like ecoacoustic monitoring and Asian songbird conservation. He advises NGOs like the Manchester Biodiversity Action Group and sits on committees such as the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee.

His work bridges science and policy, influencing legislation in Brazil regarding secondary forest management and contributing to global biodiversity reports like the Global Biodiversity Outlook 5. He actively combats 'extinction denial' through public engagement and peer-reviewed advocacy.