Our mission is to tackle the complicated issues around lion conservation through advocacy for direct international funding for African wildlife reserves and development of innovative strategies to protect both lions and vulnerable human communities in an ever-evolving landscape.
Dr. Craig Packer, Founder
Considered the world’s foremost expert on African lions, Dr. Craig Packer is a Distinguished McKnight Professor of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at the University of Minnesota. He established the world’s first research center dedicated to the study of lions in 1986. Working with a team of PhD students and dividing his time between Minnesota and Africa, Dr. Packer’s studies of lion behavior have shaped much of what is known about these animals. continue
The Team
Sarah Huebner
GRADUATE RESEARCHER
Sarah studies the role of megaherbivores, particularly elephants, in mitigating the ‘landscape of fear’ created by African lions. continue
Jessica Burkhart
GRADUATE RESEARCHER
Jessica is examining the link between oxytocin and social behavior in lions, to see if this can be used to help bonding during lion re-location. continue
Abby Guthmann
GRADUATE RESEARCHER
Abby studies how livestock grazing impacts ecostsyem functioning and food-web dynamics in Kenyan Conservancies. continue
Dr. Natalia Borrego
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER
Natalia’s work focuses on the evolutionary links between social, ecological, and cognitive complexity in lions. continue
John Heydinger
GRADUATE RESEARCHER AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY EXPLORER
John studies the unique desert-adapted lions of northwest Namibia and works with local communities to prevent human-lion conflict. continue
Dr. Meredith Palmer
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER
Meredith studies how predators change prey behavior in ways that impact species coexistence and ecosystem functioning. continue
Victoria Lafkey
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER
Demographic trends of lions in closed vs open systems.
Julie Szczygielski
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER
Woody vegetation trends after restoration of large mammals.
Julia Olson
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER
Identifying individual giraffes from camera trap images.