Elizabeth L. Bennett, 2006 Women of Discovery Courage Award

"Follow your conviction. Don't let others, or even social convention, deter you." — Eliizabeth L. Bennett

Wildlife and conservation biologist

Born: 1956-01-01

Hometown: London, England

Education: PhD in Primate Ecology, Cambridge University

Achievements

Expeditions: To Peninsular Malaysia: Sarawak Malaysia; trips across DE Asia and Central Africa.

Biography

Elizabeth Bennett is Director of the Hunting and Wildlife Trade Program at the Wildlife Conservation Society, (WCS). Elizabeth’s initial research was on the ecology of Malaysian primates. Subsequently, she worked in Sarawak, Malaysia for 18 years conducting many projects for WCS and the Sarawak Government, including studying the effects of hunting on wildlife, and leading a team to write the State’s wildlife policy and oversee its implementation. Elizabeth works with WCS field staff in more than 30 countries to develop strategies for studying and addressing hunting and wildlife trade, currently focusing on Central Africa and China.  She has more than 100 scientific and popular publications. Elizabeth has been awarded the “Golden Ark” by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, the “Pegawai Bintang Sarawak” by the Sarawak Government, “Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and D.Sc. (honoris causa) by Nottingham University.

In addition to her study of primates in Malaysia, Dr. Elizabeth Bennett has made courageous contributions to wildlife conservation, global hunting, and wildlife-trade issues. As a senior conservation zoologist and director of the Malaysian Program of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Dr. Bennett has documented unsustainable hunting regimes in the Sarawak Forest and has identified policies to promote more sustainable hunting approaches worldwide. For the last 15 years, she studied the threats of human activity to wildlife, developed a master plan for wildlife management, and inspired young Malaysian biology students to achieve higher levels of education so that future generations can sustain and continue conservation.

Fun Facts

Favorite Item to have in the field: Binoculars and shortwave radio to listen to the BBC.

Heroes: Margaret Brooke, British "Queen" of Sarawak, 1869-1916, and William Beebe, naturalist, explorer, scientist and author.