Mike Bruford

Mike Bruford is Professor of Biodiversity at the School of Biosciences, Cardiff University. His role on the Board is to support the conservation science carried out by Durrell. After gaining his PhD in DNA profiling in animals from the University of Leicester in 1990, Mike worked for the Zoological Society of London as a conservation biologist for nine years, before moving in Cardiff in 1999, where he has been ever since.

Mike's research focuses on the population biology of endangered species, with a special focus on those found in fragmented habitat. He uses DNA profiling to gain information about elusive animal species, which helps to build a picture about their population size and distribution, often in inhospitable habitats where direct observation is impossible. Mike works all over the world and has current projects based in Peru, Madagascar, Gabon, Sabah and China, focusing on species such as the giant panda, western lowland gorilla, vicuna and orang-utan.