How Marwell Wildlife is empowering the next generation of conservationists

January 24, 2025

MRes students in Kenya

We’re marking a milestone 10 years of empowering future conservationists through our Master of Research (MRes) in Wildlife Conservation, a pioneering collaboration awarded by University of Southampton.

This unique course is designed to develop the next generation of conservation leaders, giving students the skills and experience needed to address the planet’s most urgent environmental challenges – from habitat destruction to climate change.

The MRes is the only course of its kind in the UK connecting academic learning with real-world conservation needs in Marwell’s 140-acre zoo, across its wider estate and in the field, in the UK and overseas.

Credit – Alex Murray
Credit – Maria Clara Chacon

In 2024, nine new students joined the cohort, who will follow in the footsteps of more than 60 alumni, who have gone on to change the world through careers in research and hands-on conservation across the world.

Dr Heidi Mitchell, Marwell Wildlife’s Head of Conservation Impact and Programme Lead, said: “This course is what I’m most proud of delivering, during my 20 years at Marwell. The biggest impact you will ever have as a human being is on another human being. At a time when our planet and its natural resources are under such enormous pressure, to be involved with the next generation of conservationists is the biggest privilege of my career.”

Credit – Mia Tavelli

The MRes programme is built around real-world applications, enabling students to undertake critical conservation projects that directly inform Marwell’s work. From devising strategies for endangered species like Hartmann’s zebra to examining the effects of climate change on reintroduction programmes, the research conducted is both cutting-edge and impactful.

Students also have the extraordinary opportunity to spend time in Kenya for a Marwell-led field course, where they connect with field projects, collect data and present findings to stakeholders, gaining valuable insights into Marwell’s conservation efforts in Africa.

Credit – Maria Clara Chacon
Credit – Maria Clara Chacon

Dr Judith Lock, Principal Teaching Fellow in Ecology and Evolution at the University of Southampton, and programme lead at the University, says the course has transformative benefits for both students and conservation science.

“During the year we see the development from individuals being students of wildlife conservation, to individuals becoming conservation change-makers themselves. The unique opportunity to be a part of the conservation team at Marwell, and to undertake a project that will make a difference, are the main factors in this transformation.”

Based at Marwell’s Science and Learning Centre, MRes students are fully integrated into the charity’s award-winning conservation team, gaining access to state-of-the-art facilities and advanced field research training.

This unique approach to post-graduate conservation education stands as a beacon of hope in the fight against biodiversity loss, securing a brighter future for wildlife.

Watch the video below to see what last year’s cohorts got up to on their trip to Kenya. Applications for the 2025/26 cohort are now open! Learn more.