Current Research

My research forms part of the Oxford Martin School Programme on The Wildlife Trade and largely falls into research streams on (i) pangolins and (ii) wildlife trade policy.

On pangolins, my current research involves examining the feasibility of pangolin farming through the development of bioeconomic models, investigating online trade in pangolin products, and developing conversion parameters for pangolin derivatives in illegal trade.

Regarding wildlife trade policy, my research involves evaluating the extent to which social-ecological factors have been considered in CITES listing decision in the last decade and developing a theory of change to identify the conditions under which CITES trade measures would be likely to contribute to species conservation. It also involves convening disparate stakeholders to guide policy directions for high-value traded species through participatory scenario planning, with a focus on pangolins and rhinos. This research will inform proposed reforms to decision-making in CITES to ensure that decisions are underpinned by evidence.

Brief CV

2020–                Research Fellow, University of Oxford

2012–                Member, IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group

2018–2020    Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Oxford

2016–2018    Honorary Research Fellow, DICE, University of Kent

2014–                Member, IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group

2014–2018    Programme Officer, Sustainable Use and Trade, IUCN

2011–2012    Assistant Lecturer, DICE, University of Kent

2010–2014    Ph.D. Biodiversity Management, DICE, University of Kent

2009–2010    Ecologist, Thomson Ecology Ltd

2007–2008    M.Sc. Conservation Biology, Manchester Metropolitan University

2002–2006    B.A. (Hons) Business Studies, Sheffield Hallam University

Funding

My research is funded by the National Geographic Society and the Oxford Martin School among others.

Projects

My current research forms part of the Oxford Martin School Programme on the Illegal Wildlife Trade.

Towards effective global wildlife trade policy

Awards

Durrell Trust for Conservation Biology Prize (2017), for most outstanding Research Postgraduate Student (University of Kent)

Membership

Member, IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group – www.pangolinsg.org.

Member, IUCN CEESP/SSC Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULi) – https://iucnsuli.org.

Published Papers

Challender, DWS., Brockington, D., Hinsley, A., Hoffmann, M., Kolby, JE., Massé, F., Natusch, DJD., Oldfield, TEE., ’t Sas-Rolfes, M., Milner-Gulland, EJ. (2022). Accurate characterisation of wildlife trade and policy instruments: Reply to D’Cruze et al. (2021) and Frank and Wilcove (2022). Conservation Letters e12870.

Choo, SW., Platto, S., Challender, DWS. (2022). Helping to save pangolins from extinction. Conservation Letters e12871.

Marsh, SME., Hoffmann, M., Burgess, ND., Brooks, TM., Challender, DWS., Cremona, PC., Hilton-Taylor, C., di Micheaux, FL., Lichtenstein, G., Roe, D., Böhm, M. (2021). Prevalence of sustainable and unsustainable use of wild species inferred from the IUCN Red List. Conservation Biology 36 (2): e13844.

Challender, DWS., Brockington, D., Hinsley, A., Hoffmann, M., Kolby, JE., Massé, F., Natusch, DJD., Oldfield, TEE., Outhwaite, W., ’t Sas-Rolfes, M., Milner-Gulland, E.J. (2021). Mischaracterising wildlife trade and its impacts may mislead policy processes. Conservation Letters e12832.

Olmedo, A., Veríssimo, D., Challender, DWS., Dao, HTT., Milner-Gulland, E.J. (2021). Who eats wild meat? Profiling consumers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. People and Nature 3(3): 700–710.

Olmedo, A., Veríssimo, D., Milner-Gulland, E.J., Hinsley, A., Dao, HTT., Challender, DWS. (2021). Uncovering Prevalence of Pangolin Consumption in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Oryx.

Cooney, R., Challender, DWS., Broad, S., Roe, D., Natusch, DJD. (2021). Think before you act: improving the conservation outcomes of CITES listing decisions. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9, 631556.

Booth, H., Arias, M., Brittain, S., Challender, DWS., Khanyari, M., Kuiper, T., Li, Y., Olmedo, A., Oyanedel, R., Pienkowski, T., Milner-Gulland, E.J. (2021). “Saving Lives, Protecting Livelihoods, and Safeguarding Nature”: Risk-Based Wildlife Trade Policy for Sustainable Development Outcomes Post-COVID-19. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9, 639216.

Olmedo, A., Milner-Gulland, E.J., Challender, DWS., Cugnière, L., Dao, H.T.T., Nguyen, L.B., Nuno, A., Potier, E., Ribadeneira, M., Thomas-Walters, L., Wan, AKY., Veríssimo, D. (2020). A systematic review of celebrity endorsement in environmental campaigns and evidence for its effectiveness. Conservation Science and Practice 2 (10), e261.

‘t Sas-Rolfes, M., Challender, DWS., Hinsley, A., Veríssimo, D., Milner-Gulland, E.J. (2019). Illegal Wildlife Trade: Scale, Processes and Governance. Annual Review of Environment and Resources 44, 201-228.

Challender, DWS., ‘t Sas-Rolfes, M., Ades, G., Chin, JSC., Sun, NCM, Chong, JL., Connelly, E., Hywood, L., Luz, S., Mohapatra, RK., De Ornellas, P., Parker, K., Pietersen, D., Roberton, SI., Semiadi, G., Shaw, D., Shepherd, CR., Thomson, P., Wang, Y., Waterman, C., Wicker, L., Wu, SB., Nash, H.C. (2019). Evaluating the feasibility of pangolin farming and its potential conservation impact. Global Ecology and Conservation e00714.

Ullmann, T., Veríssimo, D., Challender, DWS. (2019). Evaluating the application of scale frequency to estimate the size of pangolin scale seizures. Global Ecology and Conservation e00776.

Challender, DWS., & MacMillan, D.C. (2019). Investigating the influence of non-state actors on amendments to the CITES Appendices. Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy 22 (2): 90-114.

Khwaja, H., Buchan, C., Wearn, O.R.… Waterman, C., Challender, DWS. (2019). Pangolins in global camera trap data: implications for ecological monitoring. Global Ecology and Conservation e00769.

Challender, DWS., Hinsley, A., Milner-Gulland, E.J. (2019) Inadequacies in establishing CITES trade bans. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 17 (4): 199-200.

Challender, DWS., Hoffmann, M., Hoffmann, R., Scott, J., Robinson, J., Cremona, P., Hilton-Taylor, C., Jenkins, RKB., Malsch, K., Conde, D., de Meulenaer, T. (2019) Criteria for CITES species protection. Science 364 (6437): 247-248.

Di Minin, E., Brooks, T., Toivonen, T., Butchart, S., Heikinheimo, V., Watson, JEM., Balmford, A., Challender, DWS., Goettsch, B., Jenkins, R., Moilanen, A. (2019) Priority regions for responses to unsustainable commercial species harvesting. Science Advances 5 (4): eaau2879.

Ingram, D.J., Cronin, D.T., Challender, DWS., Venditti, DM., & Gonder, MK. (2019). Characterising trafficking and trade of pangolins in the Gulf of Guinea. Global Ecology and Conservation e00576.

Ingram, D., Willcox, D., Challender, DWS. (2019) Evaluation of methods to detect and monitor selected mammalian taxa and its application to pangolin conservation. Global Ecology and Conservation e00632.

Willcox, D., Nash, H., Trageser, S., Kim, HJ., Hywood, L., Connelly, E., Ichu, IG., Moumbolou, CLM., Ingram, D., & Challender, DWS. (2019). Evaluating methods for detecting and monitoring pangolin (Pholidota: Manidae) populations. Global Ecology and Conservation e00539.

Mambeya, MM., Baker, F., Momboua, BR., Pambo, AFK., Hega, M., Okouyi, VJO., Onanga, M., Challender, DWS., Ingram, DJ., Hongyan, W., Abernethy, K. (2018). The Emergence of a Commercial trade in Pangolins from Gabon. Journal of African Ecology (1): 1-9.

Biggs, D., Cooney, R., Roe, D., Dublin, H., Allan, JR., Challender, DWS., Skinner, D. (2017). Developing a theory of change for a community-based response to illegal wildlife trade. Conservation Biology 31 (1): 5-12.

Cooney, R., Roe, D., Dublin, H., Phelps, J., Wilkie, D., Keane, A., Travers, H., Skinner, D., Challender, DWS., Allan, JR., Biggs, D. (2017). From poachers to protectors: engaging local communities in solutions to illegal wildlife trade. Conservation Letters 10 (3): 367-374.

Shairp, R., Veríssimo, D., Fraser, I., Challender, DWS., MacMillan, DC. (2016). Understanding urban demand for wild meat in Viet Nam: implications for conservation actions. PLOS ONE, 1-14.

Challender, DWS., Harrop, SR., MacMillan, DC. (2015). Understanding markets to conserve trade threatened species in CITES. Biological Conservation 187, 249-259.

Mohapatra, R.K., Panda, S., Acharjyo, L.N., Nair, M.V., Challender, DWS. (2015). A note on the illegal trade and use of pangolin body parts in India. TRAFFIC Bulletin 27 (1): 33-40.

Challender, DWS., Harrop, SR. and MacMillan, DC. (2015). Towards informed and multi-faceted wildlife trade interventions. Global Ecology and Conservation 3, 129-148.

Challender, DWS., Wu, SB., Nijman, V., MacMillan, DC. (2014). Changing behaviour to tackle the wildlife trade. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 12, 203.

Challender, DWS., MacMillan, DC. (2014). Transforming wildlife trade interventions: reply to Phelps et al. Conservation Letters 7 (5): 497-498.

Challender, DWS., MacMillan, DC. (2014). Poaching is more than an enforcement problem. Conservation Letters 7 (5): 484-494.

Challender, DWS., Baillie, JEM., Waterman, C. and the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group (2012). Catalysing conservation action and raising the profile of pangolins – the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group (PangolinSG). Asian Journal of Conservation Biology 2, 139-140.

Veríssimo, D., Challender, DWS., Nijman, V. (2012). Wildlife trade in Asia: start with the consumer. Asian Journal of Conservation Biology 2, 49-50.

Challender, DWS., Hywood, L. (2012). African pangolins under increased pressure from poaching and intercontinental trade. TRAFFIC Bulletin Vol. 24 (3): 53-55.

Challender, DWS. (2011). Asian Pangolins: increasing affluence driving hunting pressure. TRAFFIC Bulletin Vol. 23 (3): 92-93.

Books and book chapters

Challender, DWS., Nash, H., Waterman, C. (Eds.) (2020). Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, London, UK, San Diego, CA, US.

Challender, DWS., Shepherd, CR., Heinrich, S., Katsis, L. (2020). International trade and trafficking in pangolins, 1900–2019. In: Challender, DWS., Nash, H., Waterman, C. (Eds.). Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, London, UK, San Diego, CA, US, pp.259-276.

Challender, DWS., O’Criodain, C. (2020). Addressing trade threats to pangolins in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). In: Challender, DWS., Nash, H., Waterman, C. (Eds.). Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, London, UK, San Diego, CA, US, pp.305-320.

Cooney, R., Challender, DWS. (2020). Engaging local communities in responses to illegal trade in pangolins: who, why and how? In: Challender, DWS., Nash, H., Waterman, C. (Eds.). Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, London, UK, San Diego, CA, US, pp.369-383.

‘t Sas-Rolfes, M., Challender, DWS. (2020). Evaluating the impact of pangolin farming on conservation. In: Challender, DWS., Nash, H., Waterman, C. (Eds.). Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, London, UK, San Diego, CA, US, pp.517-527.

Morin, D., Challender, DWS., Ichu, IG., Ingram, DJ., Nash, HC., Panaino, W., Panjang, E., Sun, NCM., Willcox, D. Developing robust monitoring methodologies for pangolin conservation. In: Challender, DWS., Nash, H., Waterman, C. (Eds.). Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, London, UK, San Diego, CA, US, pp.545-558.

Hoffmann, R., Challender, DWS. (2020). Conservation strategies and priority actions for pangolins. In: Challender, DWS., Nash, H., Waterman, C. (Eds.). Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, London, UK, San Diego, CA, US, pp.531-535.

Pietersen, DW., Challender, DWS. (2020). Research needs for pangolins. In: Challender, DWS., Nash, H., Waterman, C. (Eds.). Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, London, UK, San Diego, CA, US, pp.537-543.

Challender, DWS., Nash, HC., Waterman, C., Hoffmann, R. (2020). Taking pangolin conservation to scale. In: Challender, DWS., Nash, H., Waterman, C. (Eds.). Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, London, UK, San Diego, CA, US, pp.609-613.

Challender, DWS., MacMillan, DC. (2016). Transnational Environmental Crime: more than an enforcement problem. In Schaedla, WH., Elliott, L. Handbook of Transnational Environmental Crime. Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, UK, Northampton, MA, USA. pp. 489-498.

Supervised MSc/PhD projects

Alegria Olmedo (2018–2021)

Links to groups/projects/related sites

IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group – www.pangolinsg.org