Born in Worksop, England, Pete earned an honours degree in Zoology from Edinburgh University and went on to complete his doctorate in marine ornithology at Oxford University in 1986. He spent 12 years in Shetland, including a post as Assistant Warden for three years at the world famous Fair Isle Bird Observatory. His introduction to applied conservation was provided during six years working for the UK government as Nature Conservancy Council officer for Shetland. In 1990, he moved to Canada and worked until 1996 on the Great Lakes wildlife toxicology programs of the federal government’s Canadian Wildlife Service, documenting levels and impacts of toxic pollutants on wildlife at the top of aquatic foodwebs. He joined WWF-Canada, as Director of Canada’s Endangered Species Program in 1996 and then built and directed WWF’s Arctic conservation work from 2000 – 2006, focusing heavily on shifting the industrial development paradigm to one that provides adequately for conservation of intact ecosystems, and ecological and cultural diversity, while the opportunity still remains. Pete now leads WWF’s species conservation work in Canada, focusing on flagship species such as polar bear, whales, monarchs and other priority regional wildlife, in these times of unprecedented ecosystem change.
