Samantha Page-Nicholson |
Membership Liaison
|
Endangered Wildlife Trust
African Lion Database Coordinator |
Dr Samantha Nicholson is the manager of the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group’s African Lion Database (ALD) and is based at the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa. She is a member of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group, the African Lion Working Group and South Africa’s Wild Dog Advisory Group (WAG-SA).
As the manager of the ALD, she plays a critical role in coordinating and overseeing the collection, analysis, and dissemination of data related to African lions. The ALD, under her management, is an essential resource for monitoring lion populations, understanding their distribution and status, and aiding in conservation efforts. Samantha works closely with conservationists, researchers, Range States, CMS, CITES, the CatSG and other conservation organizations to ensure that the database provides accurate and up-to-date information, contributing to the protection and preservation of African lion populations across the continent. Her work supports evidence-based conservation strategies and policies aimed at securing the future of this iconic species. Samantha completed her PhD in Ecological Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2024, where her thesis assessed and conservation status of African Lions (Panthera leo). Broadly, her dissertation assessed the socio-political and ecological fragility of lion subpopulations in Africa, the perceived threats to the species across Africa, current methodologies for surveying lions and the current conservation status of lions. Prior to this, she earned a Master's Degree in Zoology with distinction from Rhodes University in 2013, where her thesis conducted a feasibility assessment on the potential reintroduction of Endangered Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) into a reserve in South Africa. This included conducting a population viability assessment and determining, through questionnaire surveys, the attitudes of local stakeholders. Samantha completed an Honours Degree in African Vertebrate Diversity at Rhodes University in 2012, following her Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology and Environmental Science from the same institution in 2011. |
