Meet the Team!
Dr Sophie-lee Williams
ERW Founder/Project Manager
Sophie-lee is a raptor biologist that has over 10 years experience working with wild, wild-injured and rehabilitated owls and raptors. Her ambition is to dedicate her research career to restoring welsh biodiversity and habitat.
Dr Rob Thomas
Project adviser - Cardiff University
Rob’s research group studies animal behavior in changing environments. His research group covers a wide range of topics ranging from long-term climate changes, through to seasonal and daily behavioral trends, dietary wariness and foraging trends and impacts of human activities on wild animals. Rob’s research is very fitting to cover many biological and environmental IUCN reintroduction guidelines we need to follow.
Dr Sarah Perkins
Project Adviser - Cardiff University
While Sarah’s research group is primarily known for their work with disease and parasite dynamics. Sarah has also worked with data collection for reintroduction programmes in the past and is extremely snazzy with her citizen science work. An important element to reintroduce eagles back to Wales.
Eagle Advisors!
Roy Dennis & Team
Roy Dennis MBE is a field ornithologist, most notably known for his work with the conservation of rare birds and the reintroduction of lost species. Roy has successfully restored the White-tailed Eagle to the West and East coasts of Scotland and more recently to the Isle of Wight, England.
Roy has an extensive knowledge of restoring eagles and birds of prey. Roy is working with the ERW team to share knowledge, guide and advise the possible reintroduction of Golden and/or White-tailed Eagle in Wales.
Roy Dennis Wildlife Trust Web-page.
Dr Cat Barlow & Team
Cat is the project manager of the Golden Eagle project in South of Scotland. Cat is a specialist in the management of countryside recreational activities and the stakeholders/conflicts that arise from them.
Cat, alongside Dez Thompson and her team are sharing key knowledge, experiences, information and best methods to help us shape Golden Eagle reintroduction in Wales.
Lorcan O’Tool & Team
Lorcan is the Golden Eagle project manager in Ireland. Lorcan alongside his team at the Golden Eagle Trust (GET) are experts in birds of prey and eagle reintroductions.
Lorcan is working with the ERW team to share knowledge, best practices and shape the best translocation methods for Golden Eagles in Wales.
Cardiff University Research Students!
Matthew Collins
Masters Student - Eagles and Land Use (2019-2020)
Matthew is a skilled and passionate ecologist enrolled in the Integrated Biology Masters programme at Cardiff University. Matthews work involved mapping modern-day land uses across Wales to assess its environmental compatibility to restore eagles back to Wales.
Zoe Jones
Masters Student - Golden Eagles (2018-2019)
Zoe’s a keen scientific researcher enrolled in the Bioscience research masters (MRes) at Cardiff University. Zoe’s work involved biodiversity surveys in Gwynedd, monitor the distribution and abundance of raptors species in this region. Zoe’s work also involved regional land use assessments in Gwynedd to map out suitable habitat for Golden Eagles.
Sam Langdon
Masters Student - White-tailed Eagles (2018-2019)
Sam is a passionate wild-space fieldworker enrolled in the Integrated Bioscience Masters programme at Cardiff University. Sam’s work involved surveys across Dyfed, surveying habitat, land use and raptors species within this region. Sam’s work involved regional assessments to assess all suitable habitat for White-tailed eagles in the county Dyfed.