Biography

Peter Leimgruber is the Director for Conservation and Science of the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (SNZCBI).

Previously, he served as the director of SNZCBI's Conservation Ecology Center which saves species and ecosystem through basic and applied research and the development of new and advanced analytical tools and models. Leimgruber's research focuses on advancing conservation applications of geospatial analysis technology to save threatened species and their habitats. He is particularly interested in the movement and migration ecology of charismatic megavertebrates and how these movements can be integrated into landscape-level conservation planning. Leimgruber is using satellite-tracking alongside remote sensing and GIS to track movements of highly mobile species, assess their habitat needs, determine how human and climate-induced changes affect these species' habitats, and develop appropriate conservation strategies.

Most of Leimgruber's research focuses overseas and he has more than 25 years of experience in international conservation with field projects in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, China, Thailand, Malaysia, and Brazil. Because of his experience in elephant conservation, Leimgruber serves as an advisor to a number of conservation organizations, including the Scientific Advisory Board for Save the Elephants, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Asian Elephant Specialist Group.

Leimgruber believes that training the next generation of conservation professionals is the most effective way to advance global biodiversity conservation. He and his team have spearheaded the SNZCBI's internationally renowned training program in conservation GIS, including graduate and undergraduate courses, workshops, and internship programs. In the last 20 years, this program has included 15 post-doctoral students, 10 graduate students, and >100 interns.

Research Interests

Species and landscape conservation in socio-ecological systems with a special focus on understanding, modeling, and mitigating human impacts on the movement ecology, spatial distribution, and conservation status of critical biodiversity

Related News

Projects

Asian elephant

Asian Elephant Conservation
Asian elephants face critical threats throughout their range. Through satellite tracking and conflict management, scientists are working to save them.
A large leafy tree growing adjacent to a body of water, with cattle grazing in the grass underneath its canopy

Conserving the World’s Largest Working Wetland
Conservation Ecology Center researchers are collaborating with institutions in Brazil and other Smithsonian colleagues to support sustainable cattle ranching in the Pantanal wetland.
dhole caught by camera trap

Dhole Conservation in Southeast Asia
Scientists are working to save endangered dholes, or Asian wild dogs, through research, satellite tracking, conflict monitoring and community outreach.
Giraffe on a savannah landscape.

Giraffe Conservation
Giraffes range across diverse African habitats. Smithsonian scientists are working collaboratively and using tools like GPS, satellites and statistics to track and protect them.

Myanmar Biodiversity
Smithsonian researchers help conserve Myanmar's biodiversity through research and capacity building, collaborating with local organizations for the long-term survival of species and ecosystems.
Tan and buff horse standing in a grassy field. The mane, nose, legs, and tail are a dark brown

Przewalski’s Horse Tracking and Reintroduction
Through cutting-edge GPS satellite tracking and reintroduction programs, scientists are committed to saving the last truly wild horse species.
An adult scimitar horned oryx surveys a seemingly endless grassy plain. Close by, a baby oryx can be seen hiding among the yellow grass.

Scimitar-horned Oryx Reintroduction
Scimitar-horned oryx once ranged across most of North Africa but are now considered extinct in the wild. Smithsonian scientists are part of a collaborative effort to return oryx to part of their former range.
A small herd of cattle grazes in a dry landscape of dirt and grasses under a blue sky with large white clouds. Small trees and more cattle can be seen in the background.

Studying Large Herbivores Across Laikipia Rangelands in Kenya
Conservation Ecology Center scientists are studying wildlife across a mosaic of private and communal lands in central Kenya where wild animals coexist with people and domesticated animals.
Herd of wildebeest grazing on an open grassy plain with one tree

Wildebeest Conservation
Conservation Ecology Center scientists are tracking the movements of white-bearded wildebeest to understand how changes across the landscape impact the species.