Overview
Position/Job Title
Career Conservation Biologist
Career Conservation Biologist
Institution/Organization
Regional Chair of the IUCN-World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) for East and Southern Africa,
Regional Chair of the IUCN-World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) for East and Southern Africa,
Speaker Bio
Dr. John Waithaka is a career conservation biologist with hands-on experience in research, conservation and management of wildlife and related programmes and institutions. He has worked as a lecturer at Kenyatta University, Elephant Programme Coordinator for Kenya, Deputy Director at the Kenya Wildlife Service, Manager of the European Union?s Biodiversity Conservation Programme, Director of the African Conservation Center and Conservation Biologist for the Parks Canada Agency in Ottawa, Canada. In these capacities, he has directed, managed, coordinated and participated in diverse national and international conservation and environmental programmes, represented organizations and governments in professional forums; and worked in partnership with research communities, governmental and non-governmental organizations, academia, public and private institutions, policy makers and donor agencies.He has made contribution to science, biodiversity research and conservation, climate change adaptation, recovery of endangered species, management of protected areas, community based conservation, and development of conservation policies and legislation. John is currently the Regional Chair of the IUCN-World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) for East and Southern Africa, Co-Chair of the IUCN Wilderness Specialist Group, Member of the WCPA Steering Committee, Member of the IUCN – UNESCO World Heritage Panel, co-editor of the International Journal of Protected Areas and Conservation, and Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Kenya Wildlife Service. He is also the Director of the Africa Protected Areas Congress. He holds a B.Ed. degree in Botany and Zoology (University of Nairobi), M.Sc. in Biology of Conservation (University of Nairobi) and a Ph.D. in Zoology (Kenyatta University, Nairobi).
Dr. John Waithaka is a career conservation biologist with hands-on experience in research, conservation and management of wildlife and related programmes and institutions. He has worked as a lecturer at Kenyatta University, Elephant Programme Coordinator for Kenya, Deputy Director at the Kenya Wildlife Service, Manager of the European Union?s Biodiversity Conservation Programme, Director of the African Conservation Center and Conservation Biologist for the Parks Canada Agency in Ottawa, Canada. In these capacities, he has directed, managed, coordinated and participated in diverse national and international conservation and environmental programmes, represented organizations and governments in professional forums; and worked in partnership with research communities, governmental and non-governmental organizations, academia, public and private institutions, policy makers and donor agencies.He has made contribution to science, biodiversity research and conservation, climate change adaptation, recovery of endangered species, management of protected areas, community based conservation, and development of conservation policies and legislation. John is currently the Regional Chair of the IUCN-World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) for East and Southern Africa, Co-Chair of the IUCN Wilderness Specialist Group, Member of the WCPA Steering Committee, Member of the IUCN – UNESCO World Heritage Panel, co-editor of the International Journal of Protected Areas and Conservation, and Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Kenya Wildlife Service. He is also the Director of the Africa Protected Areas Congress. He holds a B.Ed. degree in Botany and Zoology (University of Nairobi), M.Sc. in Biology of Conservation (University of Nairobi) and a Ph.D. in Zoology (Kenyatta University, Nairobi).