Luke Hunter is the Executive Director of WCS's Big Cats Program and is considered one of the world’s leading experts on the conservation of endangered carnivores and their habitats. His doctoral and post-doctoral research in Southern Africa developed methods to re-introduce large cats in areas of former range; the resulting protocols have been applied to re-establish over 50 new populations of wild cats across Africa. He has held university positions in Australia and South Africa, and is the former President and Chief Conservation Officer of Panthera. Hunter is focused especially on fostering recovery of the lion, particularly in Central Africa where the species is declining and endangered. He has authored or co-authored over 200 articles in scientific journals and popular media, and has written eight books on wild carnivores and their conservation.