Ricardo Lemos de Figueiredo
Lecturer and Conservation Project Manager
Bristol Zoological Society
Ricardo Lemos de Figueiredo is a zoo conservation and animal welfare professional, lecturer and science communicator dedicated to advancing the role of modern zoos in biodiversity protection.
As founder and primary content creator of The Zoo Scientist, he has built an accessible resource for zoo professionals and the wider public, sharing research, conservation initiatives and animal welfare science.
Over the past year, its social media content reached almost 40,000 followers and more than 225,000 viewers, while its website received over 25,000 visits.
As a lecturer at Bristol Zoological Society, Lemos de Figueiredo has taught more than 100 undergraduate and postgraduate students across four universities, covering animal behaviour, conservation communication and the role of zoos in society.
He also supports international conservation through his work as ex-situ project manager for Bristol Zoo’s Philippines Conservation Programme, helping strengthen animal welfare assessment, behavioural monitoring and population management at partner facilities.
Lemos de Figueiredo has contributed to five publications, including the WAZA Welfare Strategy 2025 and the Zoo Animal Welfare textbook, and presented research on crustacean welfare and mouse deer husbandry.
As former chair of the Research Engagement Group within the BIAZA Research Committee, he championed zoo science communication. His contributions were recognised at the 2026 BIAZA Awards, where he was named Runner-Up in the Rising Star category.
