Alexandra Zimmermann

Dr Alexandra Zimmermann is an Associate Professor at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), University of Oxford, and founding Chair of the IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Specialist Group. Her work focuses on resolving human-wildlife conflicts through community-led solutions, stakeholder dialogue, and conflict prevention. She has extensive global experience, including projects in Brazil, India, Nepal, and Mauritius.

Educated in zoology (BSc, Leeds), conservation biology (MSc, DICE), and conservation social research (DPhil, Oxford), she later trained in conflict negotiation at Harvard Law School and diplomatic negotiation at the UN. Her research emphasizes hidden social causes of conflict and integrates insights from conflict studies into conservation.

As IUCN SSC HWCCSG Chair, she developed global guidelines for human-wildlife coexistence and co-hosted the 2023 International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence. She actively engages in UN CBD policy negotiations, particularly Target 4 of the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework. Her leadership was recognized with the 2024 Harry Messel Award for Conservation Leadership.