Christopher O’Kane

Dr. Christopher O’Kane is a Kadas Research Fellow at WildCRU (Wildlife Conservation Research Unit), University of Oxford, and affiliated with Worcester College. His research focuses on conservation biology, particularly the ecological impacts of large African ungulates like elephants on savanna ecosystems.

Education:

• Bachelor's in Medicine and History of Art from the University of Cambridge
• M.Sc. in Conservation Biology from Natal University (South Africa, 2006)
• D.Phil. in Zoology from the University of Oxford (2012)

Research Interests: O’Kane’s work examines habitat selection, demographics of large herbivores, and long-term ecosystem dynamics. He has studied elephant behavior and their role in shaping savanna woodlands, addressing management challenges such as culling practices. His current research continues to explore the ecological implications of large mammalian browsers in African reserves like Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.

Labs/Teams: Based at WildCRU, O’Kane collaborates on projects focused on biodiversity conservation and applied ecological research.