Sandra Lai

Dr. Sandra Lai is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) within the University of Oxford's Department of Zoology, affiliated with the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP). Her work focuses on movement ecology, carnivore behavior, and conservation biology in harsh environments. She completed her PhD at Université du Québec à Rimouski studying Arctic fox population genetics and winter behavior, followed by postdoctoral research on Arctic hare ecology and polar desert ecosystems. At WildCRU, she analyzes long-term EWCP data on Ethiopian wolf demographics, disease surveillance, and vaccination effectiveness while supporting field monitoring programs. Her research integrates ecological networks, animal behavior, and conservation strategies to address global biodiversity challenges.

Education: PhD in Northern Biodiversity from Université du Québec à Rimouski (Canada), specializing in Arctic fox population dynamics. Postdoctoral training in Arctic hare ecology and polar desert studies. Current affiliations include the Canada Research Chair in Northern Biodiversity and WildCRU's Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme.

Research Interests: Movement ecology of Arctic and alpine species, trophic interactions, conservation genetics, wildlife management, and the impacts of climate change on biodiversity. She employs satellite tracking, remote sensing, and agent-based modeling to study animal behavior and ecosystem functioning.

Publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches to conservation, including endangered species rehabilitation, interspecific foraging associations, and applications of deep learning in ecological monitoring. Her work bridges field research with analytical tools to inform conservation policies and biodiversity management.

Advising and Grants: No formal advisees listed. Contributions include biodiversity monitoring frameworks and wildlife management plans for endangered species in Arctic and Ethiopian ecosystems. Active in collaborative field projects with Indigenous communities and international conservation networks.

Labs/Teams: Core member of WildCRU's Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme and collaborates with Arctic research networks. Leads analytical work on long-term ecological datasets and develops tools for wildlife monitoring, such as the FoxMask camera trap detection system.