Simon Thirgood, 1962–2009

Simon Thirgood was an ecologist and committed conservationist who strove to develop effective conservation strategies through linking academic disciplines with support for local communities. Simon was born in Liberia in 1962 and brought up in Vancouver, Canada. In 1980 he came to the UK to read Zoology at Aberdeen University, where he was a popular figure with a mischievous sense of humour. Whilst there, he developed a passion for mountaineering, which he maintained throughout his life. After graduating he worked at the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology in Banchory studying Mountain Hares Lepus timidus and Red Deer Cervus elaphus. He then worked for a PhD at Southampton University on the mating strategies of Fallow Deer Dama dama; this led on to post-doctoral studies at Cambridge investigating the mating system of Black Lechwe Kobus leche in Zambia. At this stage he felt increasingly drawn towards the more applied aspects of conservation biology and moved to Birdlife International, where he was involved in the ‘Putting Biodiversity on the Map’ project, which was very influential in the debate leading up to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. In 1992, Simon returned to Scotland to work for the Game Conservancy Trust, studying a contentious problem in UK conservation – the conflict between those involved in moorland management for driven grouse shooting and those involved in the conservation of birds of prey. This 5-year project culminated in a landmark publication –Birds of Prey and Red Grouse (1997, reviewed Ibis140: 340–341). Until the publication of this report, the opposing sides had disagreed about the true impact of raptors on grouse. The report and the many scientific papers arising from it highlighted the fact that birds of prey could reach levels where Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus scotica numbers fell to a level at which driven grouse shooting was no longer economic. Although it has not yet led to a resolution to the conflict, at least both sides now agree about the scientific evidence and arguments focus on how best to manage the problem. Up until his death, Simon continued to urge all sides to find a solution to the problem, through advising Scottish Natural Heritage on their work on Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus and through his many scientific articles. During this study, Simon worked alongside Karen Laurenson, a vivacious, veterinary epidemiologist, whom he subsequently married in 1996. Together they developed a number of research projects in Africa, including work on threatened Ethiopian Wolf Canis simensis and in 2003, after Simon had spent time at both Edinburgh and Stirling universities, they moved to the Serengeti National Park to work for the Frankfurt Zoological Society. Simon had responsibilities for projects based in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Zambia. The Serengeti is an ecologist’s heaven, but it is a challenging place to rear a young family. As their children approached school age, Simon accepted the position of Head of Ecology at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Aberdeen. Whilst at Macaulay, Simon further developed his passion for conservation. He co-edited the important book People and Wildlife: Conflict or Co-existence?, he became a valued editor of the Journal of Applied Ecology, and he won funding for two large, cross-disciplinary projects on hunting and sustainability. He became an integral part of the Aberdeen Centre for Environmental Sustainability and was an inspiration to his students and those who worked with him. Earlier this year, he was awarded an Honorary Professorship at the University of Glasgow. Simon died whilst in Ethiopia, setting up a project to work with local communities in conserving and monitoring biodiversity, funded by the UK Darwin Initiative. He is survived by Karen and their two girls, Pippa and Katie.

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