Faculty and Staff

Bernard Kissui, PhD

Bernard Kissui, PhD

Title
Center Director
Location
Tanzania
Education
B.S.
University of Dar-Es-Salaam (Tanzania)
Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior
University of Minnesota (MN, USA)
Teaching
SFS 4910 Directed Research
SFS 3121 African Large Carnivores: Ecology and Conservation
SFS 3710 Techniques in Qildlife Management
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about

Faculty Profile

In addition to his role at SFS, Bernard Kissui is the principal scientist for the long-term carnivore research and conservation project in the Maasai Steppe (Tarangire-Manyara ecosystem), Northern Tanzania. Dr. Kissui’s research team monitor lions and other large carnivores in and around the core protected areas within the ecosystem as they roam across this human-dominated landscape sprawling the northern savannahs of Tanzania. His current research in the Maasai steppe focuses on population monitoring and demographic studies, spatial-movement, and human-carnivore conflict mitigation, and working with pastoral communities to promote human-carnivore coexistence.

Dr. Kissui received his undergraduate degree from the University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and worked with the Serengeti Lion Project between for several years in Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Academics & Research

Research Interests

  • Ecology, dynamics, and conservation of carnivore populations
  • Human-carnivore conflict, mitigation, and management strategies
  • Management and conservation of wildlife in human-dominated landscapes, understanding species in an environment where the aspects of human-wildlife coexistence can be assessed and promoted.
outputs

Publications

Human-Carnivore Coexistence in the Tarangire Ecosystem (BOOK CHAPTER)

Bernard M. Kissui, Elvis L. Kisimir, Laly L. Lichtenfeld, Elizabeth M. Naro, Robert A. Montgomery, and Christian Kiffner 2022 In Tarangire: Human-Wildlife Coexistence in a Fragmented Ecosystem; Christian Kiffner, Monica L. Bond, Derek E. Lee (Editors). Pg 295. Ecological Studies 243. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93604-4. ISBN 978-3-030-93604-4 (eBook)

Community attitudes and social correlates of African lion (Panthera leo) anthropogenic mortalities in the Maasai Steppe, Northern Tanzania.

Soka Geofrey, Lyimo Jackson, Kissui Bernard (Under Review).African Journal of Ecology, Manuscript ID AFJE-21-025

Fostering Coexistence Between People and Large Carnivores in Africa: Using a Theory of Change to Identify Pathways to Impact and Their Underlying Assumptions.

Sarah M. Durant, Agnese Marino, John D. C. Linnell, Alayne Oriol-Cotterill, Stephanie Dloniak, Stephanie Dolrenry, Paul Funston, Rosemary J. Groom, Lise Hanssen, Jane Horgan, Dennis Ikanda, Audrey Ipavec, Bernard Kissui, Laly Lichtenfeld, J. Weldon McNutt, Nicholas Mitchell, Elizabeth Naro, Abdoulkarim Samna and Gidey Yirga. 2022. Frontiers in Conservation Science. https://doi.10.3389/fcosc.2021.698631

Long-term persistence of wildlife populations in a pastoral area.

Christian Kiffner, John Kioko, Jack Baylis, Camille Beckwith, Craig Brunner, Christine Burns, Vasco Chavez-Molina, Sara Cotton, Laura Glazik, Ellen Loftis, Megan Moran, Caitlin O’Neill, Ole Theisinger, Bernard Kissui, 2020. Ecology and Evolution. https://DOI.10.1002/ece3.6658

Developing the global potential of citizen science: Assessing opportunities that benefit people, society, and the environment in East Africa.

Michael J. O. Pocock, Helen E. Roy, Tom August, Anthony Kuria, Fred Barasa, John Bett, Mwangi Githiru, James Kairo, Julius Kimani, Wanja Kinuthia, Bernard Kissui, Ireene Madindou, Kamau Mbogo, Judith Mirembe, Paul Mugo, Faith Milkah Muniale, Peter Njoroge, Edwin Gichohi Njuguna, Mike Izava Olendo, Michael Opige, Tobias O. Otieno, Caroline Chebet Ng’weno, Elisha Pallangyo, Thuita Thenya, Ann Wanjiru, Rosie Trevelyan, 2018. Journal of Applied Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13279

Land use, REDD+ and the status of wildlife populations in Yaeda Valley, northern Tanzania.

Christian Kiffner, Zoe Arndt, Trent Foky, Megan Gaeth, Alex Gannett, Madeline Jackson6, Georgie Lellman, Sophia Love, Ana Maroldi, Shane McLaughlin, Bobbi Skenandore, Sarah von Euler, Zachary Zambrano, Bernard Kissui. 2019. PLoS ONE 14(4): e0214823. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0214823

Community-based wildlife management area supports similar mammal species richness and densities compared to a national park.

Christian Kiffner, Seth Thomas, Talia Speaker, Victoria O’Connor4, Paige Schwarz, John Kioko, Bernard Kissui. 2019. Ecology and Evolution. 2019;00:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5916

Predicting livestock depredation risk by African lions (Panthera leo) in a multi-use area of northern Tanzania.

K. Beattie, E. R. Olson, B. Kissui, A. Kirschbaum & C. Kiffner. 2020. European Journal of Wildlife Research (2020) 66:11 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-019-1348-5

Examining Evident Interdisciplinarity Among Prides of Lion Researchers

Montgomery R., Elliott K., Hayward M., Gray S., Millspaugh J., Riley S., Kissui B., Kramer D., Moll R., Mudumba T, Tans E., Muneza A., Abade L, Beck J., Hoffmann C., Booher C., Macdonald D. (2018). Examining Evident Interdisciplinarity Among Prides of Lion Researchers. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 6(49).

Discordant scales and the potential pitfalls for human-carnivore conflict mitigation

Montgomery, R. A., Hoffmann, C. F., Tans, E. D., & Kissui, B. (2018). Discordant scales and the potential pitfalls for human-carnivore conflict mitigation. Biological Conservation, 224. (pp 70-177).

Grants and Awards

2022 – current: AsiliaGiving-USAID Tuhifadhi Maliasili

2018 – 2022 – Lion Recovery Fund

2018 – 2019 – WildAid

2016 – 2017 – PAMS Foundation

2015 – 2020 Several grants – African Wildlife Foundation