EDGE Community

Dr Richard Reading
Locations:
Denver, USA
Roles:
  • Scientific advisor
Richard Reading, Ph.D. is the Director of Conservation Biology at the Denver Zoological Foundation, a department he founded in 1996. He is also an Associate Research Professor at the University of Denver, where he teaches and advises graduate students, and holds affiliations with Colorado State University, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative, and Nature Conservation International (Berlin).

Dr. Reading earned his Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology from Yale University in 1993. The title of his dissertation was "Toward an Endangered Species Reintroduction Paradigm: A Case Study of the Black-footed Ferret." He also holds 3 Master’s degrees from Yale, a B.S. in Biology from Trinity College (Hartford, Connecticut), and conducted graduate and undergraduate studies and research at the Duke University Marine Laboratory. Rich serves on the boards of directors of the Argali Wildlife Research Center (Mongolia), Denver-Ulaanbaatar Sister Cities Association, Idea Wild, and Mongolian Conservation Coalition (President), and the advisory boards of the Center for Native Ecosystems, Southern Plains Land Trust, and the Grasslands Foundation. He has published >100 technical publications in several journals and books; written or edited 10 books, dissertations, or special issues of journals; and produced dozens of popular articles, abstracts, and book reviews.

Dr. Reading has conducted research or consulted on conservation projects in several countries on 5 continents, primarily the Great Plains of the U.S. and the Gobi Desert of Mongolia over the past decade or so. A major focus of Rich's research has been on developing interdisciplinary approaches to conservation.
Organisation
Denver Zoological Foundation
Position within organisation
Director of Conservation Biology, Denver Zoological Foundation
Projects
Relevant species

Fewer than 1,000 of these two-humped camels survive today in one of the most hostile regions on earth.

Research interests
Population ecology, developing monitoring and management techniques, human values and attitudes toward wildlife and conservation, and conservation policy.
Associated EDGE Fellows
Adiya is an EDGE Fellow from Mongolia working to conserve the wild Bactrian camel
Relevant publications
Adiya, Ya., R. P. Reading, E. Blumer, H. Mix, B. Mijiddorj, and S. Choijin. 2004. Summary of recent research on wild Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus ferus Przewalski, 1883). Pp. 38-45, in: Some Studies in the Trans-Altai Gob Ecosystem. Ya. Adiya and K. Ulikpan (eds.). United Nations Development Project-Global Environment Facility, Conservation of the great Gobi and its Umbrella Species, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. (In Mongolian).

Blumer, E. S, Z. Namshir, T. Tuya, B. Mijiddorj, R. P. Reading, and H. Mix. 1999. Field studies of wild Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus ferus ) in Mongolia. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, Columbus Ohio, Oct. 1999. C. Kirk (ed.). American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, Media, PA. (Abstract).

Blumer, E. S, R. P. Reading, H. Mix, B. Lhagvasuren, and B. Mijiddorj. 1999. Development of a conservation program for wild Bactrian camels in Mongolia. Proceedings of the 7th World Conference on Breeding Endangered Species: Linking Zoo and Field Research to Advance Conservation, May 22-26, 1999. T. Roth (ed.). Cincinnati Zoo, Cincinnati, OH. (Abstract).

Blumer, E. S, Z. Namshir, T. Tuya, B. Mijiddorj, R. P. Reading, and H. Mix. 2002. Veterinarian aspects of wild Bactrian camel conservation in Mongolia. Pp. 115-122, in: Ecology and Conservation of Wild Bactrian Camels (Camelus bactrianus ferus ). R. P. Reading, D. Enkhbileg, and T. Galbaatar (eds.). Mongolian Conservation Coalition & Admon Printing, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Lyda, R., J. Kirkpatrick, R. P. Reading, and E. S Blumer. 2002. Bactrian camel fecal steroid analysis. Pp. 79-84, in: Ecology and Conservation of Wild Bactrian Camels (Camelus bactrianus ferus ). R. P. Reading, D. Enkhbileg, and T. Galbaatar (eds.). Mongolian Conservation Coalition & Admon Printing, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Mijiddorj, B. 2002a. A short introduction to the captive breeding program for wild camels in Zahuin Gobi, Mongolia. Pp. 123-127, in: Ecology and Conservation of Wild Bactrian Camels (Camelus bactrianus ferus ). R. P. Reading, D. Enkhbileg, and T. Galbaatar (eds.). Mongolian Conservation Coalition & Admon Printing, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Mijiddorj, B. 2002b. Conservation of endangered species in Sector A of Great Gobi SPA. Pp. 139-142, in: Ecology and Conservation of Wild Bactrian Camels (Camelus bactrianus ferus ). R. P. Reading, D. Enkhbileg, and T. Galbaatar (eds.). Mongolian Conservation Coalition & Admon Printing, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Mix, H., R. P. Reading, and B. Lhagvasuren. 1997. Zum Status des Wilden Trameltieres (Camelus bactrianus ferus ) in der Mongolei. Zool. Gesellschaft fur Arten- und Populationsschutz 13(1):1-3. (In German)

Mix, H., R. P. Reading, E. S Blumer, and B. Lhagvasuren. 2002. Status and distribution of wild Bactrian camels in Mongolia. Pp. 39-48, in: Ecology and Conservation of Wild Bactrian Camels (Camelus bactrianus ferus ). R. P. Reading, D. Enkhbileg, and T. Galbaatar (eds.). Mongolian Conservation Coalition & Admon Printing, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Reading, R. P. 1997. Wild camels in Mongolia. International Zoo News 44(7):422-423.

Reading, R. P. 1997. Conservation of Mongolia’s wild Bactrian camels. The Zoo Review Summer 1997:10-13.

Reading, R. P., H. Mix, B. Lhagvasuren, and E. Blumer. 1999. The status wild Bactrian camel and other large ungulates in south-western Mongolia. Oryx 33(3):247-255.

Reading, R. P., E. S Blumer, and H. Mix. 2000. Los camellos silvestres: En ayuda de otras especies in peligro. Especies 9(4):25-27.

Reading, R. P., D. Enkhbileg, and T. Galbaatar. (eds.). 2002. Ecology and Conservation of Wild Bactrian Camels, Camelus bactrianus ferus . Mongolian Conservation Coalition & Admon Printing, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Reading, R. P., H. Mix, E. Blumer, T. Galbaatar, and B. Lhagvasuren. 2002. Wild Bactrian camel conservation project: Recent activities and future plans. Pp. 129-138, in: Ecology and Conservation of Wild Bactrian Camels (Camelus bactrianus ferus ). R. P. Reading, D. Enkhbileg, and T. Galbaatar (eds.). Mongolian Conservation Coalition & Admon Printing, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Reading, R. P., E. Blumer, H. Mix, and Ya. Adiya. 2005. Wild Bactrian camel conservation. Erforschung Biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei (Halle/Saale) 9: 91-100.
Contact
Denver Zoological Foundation
Email: rreading@denverzoo.org
+1-303-376-4945