Mishal Aslam
she/her
Conservation Zoologist & Wildlife Biologist
I am a conservation zoologist studying the behaviour and ecology of mountain carnivores across the Himalaya and Karakoram. My work pairs GPS telemetry, camera-trap surveys, and population genetics to understand how snow leopards, wolves, and their prey persist in some of the planet's harshest landscapes — and how people and predators can share them. I lead field programmes in northern Pakistan in close partnership with herding communities, and I'm committed to mentoring the next generation of field biologists from the regions I study.
Research Interests
Behavioural Ecology
Carnivore Conservation
Population Genetics
Human–Wildlife Coexistence
Education
PhD in Zoology, 2019
University of Oxford
MSc in Wildlife Biology & Conservation, 2014
National Centre for Biological Sciences
BSc (Hons) in Zoology, 2012
University of the Punjab
My Research
My research group studies the ecology and conservation of large carnivores in mountain ecosystems, with a focus on the snow leopard and its prey. We work across three connected themes: (1) movement and space use, using GPS-collar and camera-trap data to map how carnivores navigate fragmented terrain and respond to human pressure; (2) population status and connectivity, applying non-invasive genetics and occupancy modelling to estimate numbers and gene flow across mountain corridors; and (3) human–wildlife coexistence, working with herding communities to understand livestock depredation and design interventions that reduce conflict. Fieldwork anchors everything we do — most of our data is collected at altitude, alongside local rangers and citizen scientists. Ultimately we aim to turn rigorous ecological evidence into conservation that works for both wildlife and the people who live beside it.
Featured Publications
Recent Publications
Camera-Trap Density Estimates of Common Leopards in Human-Dominated Valleys
M. Aslam, T. Khan (2026). Preprint on bioRxiv.
Diet of the Himalayan Wolf Revealed by DNA Metabarcoding of Scat
S. Ali, M. Aslam, R. Schaller (2025). Journal of Zoology, 318(2), 110–124.
Livestock Depredation and Community Attitudes Toward Carnivores in Northern Pakistan
M. Aslam, A. Bhatti (2025). Oryx, 59(4), 512–523.
Recent Talks
Get in Touch
Interested in collaborating, joining the lab, or supporting fieldwork in the mountains? I'm always glad to hear from researchers, students, and conservation partners.
Field notes & updates
Follow the lab's field seasons, new publications, and conservation work across the Himalaya and Karakoram.