Zoological Society of London

For nearly two centuries, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has been a globally respected centre of excellence in conservation science and applied conservation. Wildlife monitoring is one of its priority areas of expertise. It pioneers innovative tools and techniques to track species and habitats and works with partners worldwide to improve the effectiveness of wildlife recovery initiatives. 

Rewilding Europe, a project partner of ZSL, is managing ten priority landscapes across Europe, ranging from the Velebit Mountains in Croatia to the wetlands of the Danube Delta. However, without clear, consistent data on how wildlife populations are responding, it is impossible to measure progress or refine management approaches. Strengthening the science of monitoring is therefore essential to sustaining the ecological gains that rewilding can deliver. 

ERF’s grant is supporting ZSL in building the capacity of Rewilding Europe and its teams to monitor wildlife recovery across all ten landscapes. The project will establish an integrated, scalable monitoring framework informed by recent advances in conservation technology. ZSL will also train staff, develop tools, and embed best practice. The overall goal is that generating high-quality evidence of nature’s recovery will strengthen rewilding across Europe and provide a model for ecological restoration worldwide.