Professor Richard Griffiths

Emeritus Professor Richard Griffiths’ research and teaching activities revolve around the conservation of threatened species, with a particular focus on population ecology and amphibians and reptiles. Current projects include: researching amphibian declines and extinctions; evaluating actions to reduce developmental impacts on great crested newts and other species; developing survey and reintroduction protocols; wildlife trade and long-term population monitoring. This work is carried out in collaboration with a wide range of partners around the world, particularly in the UK, Europe, Latin America and Madagascar.

Within DICE, Richard’s group utilizes an on-campus field-trials area. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in participating in surveys of local amphibian and reptile populations.

Professor Richard Griffiths is a member of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology.  

• Long-term population biology and conservation of UK amphibians and reptiles.
• Rewilding and reintroductions.
• Species recovery programmes on islands.
• Design of survey and monitoring programmes for reptiles and amphibians.
• Evaluation of current protocols for mitigating the impacts of development on amphibians and reptiles. 

Professor Griffiths is currently involved in the following research projects:

• Long-term population dynamics of great crested newts, adders and slow-worms in the UK.
• Development and evaluation of new modelling methods for mitigating the impacts of development on amphibians and reptiles (with Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, NatureSpace Partnership, Freshwater Habitats Trust, Newt Conservation Partnership).

• One-plan approach for the recovery of the Critically Endangered Bermuda Skink (with Government of Bermuda and Chester Zoo).
• Conservation planning, monitoring and evaluation of rewilding (with Wildwood Trust and Kent Wildlife Trust). 

• HEC03030: Survey and Monitoring for Biodiversity.
• DICE8770: Population and Evolutionary Biology
• WCON5450: Conservation Policy and Practice
• WCON3101: Skills for Wildlife Conservation and Management

Richard supervises PhD and MSc research students in the general areas of population biology, threatened species recovery, conflict mitigation and wildlife trade, with a focus on amphibians and reptiles.

Current PhD students

• Shaleen Attre: Human-snake conflict and efficacy of related mitigation measures in India.
• Rebecca Turner: Patterns and process in population trends of UK herpetofauna.
• Suzie Simpson: Distribution and welfare assessments of captive and released pet turtles in UK waterbodies.
• Devin Edmonds: Demography, population monitoring, and conservation genetics of the Critically Endangered Harlequin Mantella Frog in Madagascar (co-supervisor - University of Illinois)
• Owen Greenwood: Conservation genetics in the critically endangered Bermuda skink (co-supervisor - Manchester Metropolitan University)

41 completed PhD students since 1997.

• Steven Allain (2023). Population dynamics, disease and other drivers in a wild snake population.
• Gemma Harding (2023). An evaluation of Species Action Plans and factors influencing conservation reintroduction success.
• Sophus zu Ermgassen (2022). Hard questions, concrete solutions: mitigating the ecological outcomes of mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain using evidence from early-adopter jurisdictions in England.
• Rowland Griffin (2022). Amphibian and reptile diversity of northern Guatemala.
• Ben Tapley (2021). Adopting a holistic approach to amphibian conservation.
• Helen Pheasey (2020). Methods of and motives for laundering a wildlife commodity beyond captive farming-based systems: the harvest of olive ridley sea turtle eggs.

For a full list of past PhD students please contact Professor Richard Griffiths directly.

Media:

• BBC1 One Show – May 2012
• BBC1 Great British Wildlife Revival – September 2013
• BBC Radio 4: The Sisters of the Sacred Salamander - June 2018

National/International activities:

• Secretary General, World Congress of Herpetology
• Director, Newt Conservation Partnership
• Trustee, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust
• Trustee, North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo)
• Trustee, Wildwood Trust
• Member, Executive Committee of the World Congress of Herpetology
• Member, IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group
• Member, IUCN/SSC Reintroductions Specialist Group
• Member, Editorial Board of Conservation Evidence
• Member, Natural England Great Crested Newt Expert Licensing Panel
• Member, Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group Committee
• Honorary International Conservation Research Fellow, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Jersey
• Honorary Life Member, British Herpetological Society  

Prizes

• Zoological Society of London Marsh Prize for Conservation Biology, 2017
• University of Kent Award for Advanced Research, 2019 
• Distinguished Contribution to Herpetology Award, Herpetologists' League, 2024