The first International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence took place from March 30 to April 1, 2023 in Oxford, UK. It was organized by the IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Specialist Group and co-hosted with the GEF-funded and World Bank-led Global Wildlife Program and WildCRU of Oxford University.  

The conference brought together participants from non-profit, government, academic, and donor backgrounds from around the world, providing a forum for the exchange of knowledge and interdisciplinary discussions. More than 500 delegates from over 70 countries attended the conference, participating in around 50 sessions.

The program included scientific presentations, panel debates, short courses, keynotes and interactive discussions. It was an interdisciplinary conference with participation from diverse fields such as ecology, animal behaviour, psychology, policy, political ecology, conflict analysis, mediation and peacebuilding, international development, economics, and anthropology.

The Snow Leopard Conservancy’s Executive Director, Ashleigh Lutz-Nelson, was a presenter at the conference.

Snow leopard conservationists pose for a picture at the conference. Pictured from left to right: Oxford University WildCRU Postdoctoral Researcher Luciano Atzeni PhD, WildCRU Fellow of the Linnean Society of London Bilal Mustafa FLS, SLC Founder and Board President Rodney Jackson PhD, Global Snow Leopard Ecosystem and Protection Program Secretariat & Conservation Science Director of Snow Leopard Trust Koustubh Sharma PhD, and SLC Director Ashleigh Lutz-Nelson MS.

Ashleigh spoke on a panel about the importance of spirituality and culture in snow leopard conservation and SLC’s partnerships with Indigenous Cultural Practitioners through Land of Snow Leopard Network.

She also gave a presentation on One Health, a collaborative holistic approach to conservation focused on human, animal, and ecosystem health.

Watch Ashleigh’s presentation – “Conflict to Coexistence: Mobilizing Traditional Indigenous Knowledge & Practitioners for Snow Leopard Conservation”

In addition to presenting at the conference, Ashleigh had the opportunity to speak with Royal Veterinary College and Zoological Society of London students in the Wildlife Health Bridge master’s degree program.