Julia E. Fa was born and educated in Gibraltar, where her early fascination with the natural world set the course for a lifelong commitment to wildlife and conservation. She studied Zoology at the University of Wales before pursuing a doctorate in Animal Ecology at the University of Oxford, which she completed in 1984. Her career has taken her across continents. After finishing her doctorate, she moved to Mexico, joining the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City, where she worked until 1990. She later returned to Gibraltar as an environmental expert with the Government, before embarking on two decades at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey. There, she rose to become Chief Conservation Officer, a role that allowed her to combine science with practice—leading international conservation programmes, building a training centre for practitioners, and contributing to the global conservation agenda.
Today, Julia is Professor of Biodiversity and Human Development at Manchester Metropolitan University and Senior Associate at the Center for International Forestry Research in Bogor, Indonesia. She also continues to share her expertise as a Visiting Professor at Imperial College London and the Universidad de Málaga, Spain.
Julia’s research bridges biology, economics, anthropology, and development, reflecting her belief that conservation is inseparable from human wellbeing. She has been at the forefront of work on tropical defaunation, the consequences of wildlife loss for communities who depend on it, and the complex links between biodiversity, climate change, and disease. Throughout her career, she has sought not only to advance scientific understanding but also to ensure that knowledge informs policy and practice.
She is especially proud to serve as Beacon Professor at the University of Gibraltar, a role that reflects both her roots and her commitment to inspiring future generations of conservation scientists.
What defines Julia’s work is this balance between rigorous science and tangible impact. Whether in tropical rainforests, academic halls, or conservation field projects, she has dedicated her career to addressing some of the most urgent challenges facing both biodiversity and humanity.
