Lucy Bates

Lucy Bates is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Portsmouth, Faculty of Science & Health. Her research focuses on the evolution of social intelligence and cognition in mammals, particularly African savannah elephants, integrating behavioural ecology with conservation science to support sustainable and ethical wildlife management.

• University: University of Portsmouth
• School: Faculty of Science & Health
• Department: School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences
• Research Centre: Centre for Comparative & Evolutionary Psychology

Education:

• PhD in Behavioural Ecology, University of St Andrews (2005)
• MSc in Human Biology, University of Oxford (2001)
• BA (Hons) in Experimental Psychology, Oriel College, University of Oxford (2000)

Her research interests include animal behaviour, elephant cognition, social learning, communication, conservation biology, and the ethical dimensions of human-wildlife interactions. She investigates how elephants transmit knowledge, form cultures, and respond to social disruptions, using both observational and experimental methods in wild and semi-captive populations.

Recent publications highlight trends in elephant gestural communication, multimodal signalling, cultural transmission, and the application of a 'One Well-being' framework in conservation. Her work bridges cognitive science and applied conservation, emphasizing ethical and evidence-based management strategies.

Scientific Awards and Fellowships:

• Leverhulme Trust funded post-doctoral project on social cognition in elephants
• Daphne Jackson Trust Fellowship at the University of Sussex

Advising and Grants: Lucy Bates supervises undergraduate research projects and leads multiple funded research initiatives, including projects on savannah elephant personality and crop-raiding, identifying postures in elephants, and leadership in female elephants. She has secured funding from various sources and collaborates internationally with institutions such as the Amboseli Trust for Elephants and the University of Sussex.

Labs and Teams: She is affiliated with the Centre for Comparative & Evolutionary Psychology at Portsmouth and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on elephant cognition and conservation. She is a member of the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species Working Group on Culture and Social Complexity and formerly served on the Elephant Specialist Advisory Group of South Africa.