Current Research

I lead research streams on pangolins and wildlife trade policy and I am co-leading the development of masterclasses on illegal wildlife trade (IWT) with a focus on West Africa.

• Wildlife trade policy: portfolio of projects drawing on regulatory theory and empirical insights to assess the effectiveness of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) including CITES, evaluate the use of evidence in national and international policymaking, and investigate the role of institutions in conservation.

• Pangolins: projects on the use and trade of pangolins, their status and morphology, national and international trade policy, and the engagement of indigenous peoples and local communities in pangolin conservation.

• IWT masterclasses: leading the development, design and delivery of masterclasses to support and build capacity among researchers, policymakers and practitioners to address IWT. Initial focus on West Africa (2025-2026).

Brief CV

2024– Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford

2021– CITES Focal Point, IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group

2020–2024 Research Fellow, University of Oxford

2012–2021 Chair, IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group

2018– Oxford Martin Fellow, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford

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 Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) through the Trade, Development, and the Environment Hub, the A. G. Leventis Foundation, and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, among others.

Projects

My current projects include the following:

Operation Pangolin

Capacity Building to tackle the Illegal Wildlife Trade

Awards

IUCN SSC Leader’s Recognition Certificate for leadership of the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group (2012-2021).

Membership

CITES Focal Point, IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group – www.pangolinsg.org.

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

Publications

See my Google Scholar page for a full list.

Challender, DWS., ’t Sas-Rolfes, M., Broad, S., Milner-Gulland, E.J. (2025). A theory of change to improve conservation outcomes through CITES. Frontiers in Ecology & Evolution 13, 1425267.

Challender, DWS., ’t Sas-Rolfes, M., Dickman, A., Hare, D., Hart, A.G., Hoffmann, M., Mallon, D., Mandisodza-Chikerema, R., Roe, D. (2024). Evaluating key evidence and formulating regulatory alternatives regarding the UK’s Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill. Conservation Science and Practice 6(1), e13220.

’t Sas-Rolfes, M.J., Challender, DWS., & Wainwright, L. (2024). Playing the CITES game: Lessons on global conservation governance from African megafauna. Environmental Policy and Governance 35(1), 48-63.

Hinsley, A., Challender, DWS., Masters, S., Macdonald, D.W., Milner-Gulland, E.J., Fraser, J., Wright, J. (2024). Early warning of trends in commercial wildlife trade through novel machine learning analysis of patent filing. Nature Comms 15, 6379.

Olmedo, A., Veríssimo, D., Challender, DWS., Dao, H. Rubino, E. & Milner-Gulland, E.J. (2024). Designing celebrity-endorsed behavioural interventions in conservation. Conservation Biology 38(3), e14273.

Challender, DWS., Embolo, L.V., Iflankoy, C.K.M.L., Mouafo, A.D.T., Simo, F.T., Ullmann, T., Shirley, M.H. (2024). Incentivizing pangolin conservation: Decisions at CITES CoP19 may reduce conservation options for pangolins. Conservation Science and Practice 6(5), e13117.

Challender, DWS., Cremona, PJ., Malsch, K., Robinson, JE., Pavitt, AP., Hilton-Taylor, C., Scott, J., Hoffmann, R., Oldfield, TEE., Joolia, A., Jenkins, RKB., Conde, D., Hoffmann, M. (2023). Identifying species likely threatened by international trade on the IUCN Red List can inform CITES trade measures. Nature Ecology and Evolution 7, 1211-1220.

Hinsley, A., Willis, J., Dent, AR., Oyanedel, R., Kubo, T., Challender, DWS. (2023). Trading species to extinction: evidence of extinction linked to the wildlife trade. Cambridge Prisms: Extinction 1, e10.

Sandri, T., Okell, C., Nixon, S., Matthews, N., Omengo, F., Mathenge, J., Ndambuki, S., Challender, DWS, Cain, B. (2022). Three spatially separate records confirm the presence of and provide a range extension for the giant pangolin Smutsia gigantea in Kenya. Oryx 57(6), 714-717.

Cooney, R., Challender, DWS., Broad, S., Roe, D., Natusch, DJD. (2022). Response: Commentary: Think before you act: improving the conservation outcomes of CITES listing decisions. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 10, 946283.

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 15(1), e12870.

Choo, SW., Platto, S., Challender, DWS. (2022). Helping to save pangolins from extinction. Conservation Letters 15(3), 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 15(1), 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 56(3), 412-420

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., MacMillan, D.C. (2023). Understanding Markets to Conserve CITES-Listed Species. In: Cordonier Segger, M.-C., Wardell, D.A., Harrington, A. (Eds.). CITES as a Tool for Sustainable Development. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK. pp.151-163.

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) – D.Phil.

Eloise Hedgecott (2022–2023) – MBiol

Katie Lawton (2023–2024) – MSc

Shivi Gupta (2025–2026) – MBiol

Links to groups/projects/related sites

Details about my research group can be found here.