Cardiff University marks the passing of a world-leading conservationist and its first Dean for Environmental Sustainability
27 April 2023
With great sadness and loss, Cardiff University marks the passing of a world-leading conservationist and its first Dean for Environmental Sustainability – Prof Mike Bruford.
Mike died on Thursday 13 April 2023 having dedicated his career to understanding and halting biodiversity loss.
He pioneered the application of conservation genetics to inform and inspire real-world actions to support the protection of endangered species.
He served as an ambassador for the animals he studied, developing trust and commanding respect with governments and researchers across the globe to invoke sustainable change.
Although determined and driven, Mike’s accessible style meant that he communicated complex scientific information in a manner that was also persuasive and compelling, providing solutions even in extremely challenging situations.
When asked, following a talk in 2022, “Can we afford to make all these changes to protect biodiversity?” his response was simple: “We cannot afford not to”.
