Blogger Profile: Richard Switzer

Rich Switzer is an associate director in the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research’s Applied Animal Ecology division. He started his conservation career as passerine program coordinator for the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, leading the development of the recovery program for the Mauritius fody. Mr. Switzer joined San Diego Zoo Global in 2002, based in Hawaii with the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program. In 2007, he joined an international team to translocate Kuhl’s lorikeets from Rimatara to Atiu. He then spent two years as bird curator at Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation, Qatar, before returning here in 2009 as conservation program manager. Mr. Switzer has also been a guest lecturer at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust’s International Training Center.