Prof Robert Young

School of Science, Engineering & Environment

Photo of Prof Robert Young

Contact Details

Room G51, The Peel Building, The Crescent, Salford, M5 4WT, UK

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Current positions

Professor

Biography

Ever since I was a child I was fascinated by animals and their behaviour. Growing-up in the 1970s I became aware that if I wished to study animals in the wild or zoos that animals first needed to be conserved and their welfare protected. It was, thus, that I studied for a BSc (Hons) in Biology at the University of Nottingham (1986-1989) and then did a PhD in Animal Behaviour/Animal Welfare at the University of Edinburgh (1989-1993).

After this I worked for four years, as a researcher, at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (Edinburgh Zoo) before moving full-time into academia. Whilst working at Edinburgh Zoo I learnt about how zoos can make significant contribution to animal conservation whilst at the same time respecting the wellbeing of their animals. From 2001-2013, I worked as Professor of Animal Behaviour and Conservation at a Brazilian university (PUC Minas in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais) where I was able to realise my lifelong ambition of conducting fieldwork on everything from mammals, birds and reptiles to fish.

In 2013, I returned to the UK accepting the Chair in Wildlife Conservation at the University of Salford Manchester where I divide my time between field conservation projects mainly in Brazil and zoo-based research (both conservation and animal welfare orientated). In my career to date I have published research on approximately 50 different species of animal (everything from giant anteaters to humans). I am the author of approximately 150 full scientific papers and one textbook about zoo animal welfare.

Recently, my research group has become very interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, and we are using a wide range of methodologies and techniques to answer scientific questions including: behavioural observations, biotelemetry, molecular biology, microbiology, colour analysis, machine learning (artificial intelligence), bioacoustics, biogeography, social network analyses, physiological, amongst others.

All of this rich experience I bring to the supervision of my postgraduate students and to my teaching/tutoring/supervision of undergraduate students. My greatest pleasure as an academic is sharing my wonder of animals with the students that I supervise and teach.

Areas of Research

Wildlife Conservation; Animal Welfare; Animal Behaviour; Zoos

Areas of Supervision

Wildlife Conservation; Impact of Noise on Wildlife; Animal Welfare

Teaching Qualifications and Recognitions Publications

Teaching

I teach the following modules to BSc Wildlife undergraduate students: Introduction to Zoo Biology; Conservation in Zoos; Animal Welfare: Science & Practice; Zoos, and Exhibit Design
I teach the following module to the MA Wildlife Documentary Production students: Wildlife Biology, Ecology and Behaviour

Qualifications and Recognitions

Qualifications

  • PhD Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare

    1989 - 1993

  • BSc (Hons) Biology

    1986 - 1989

Publications

Publications

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