Nathalie Pettorelli

Professor Nathalie Pettorelli OBE
Pettorelli speaking at a Climate and Nature Bill event in the House of Commons in January 2025
Born	1976 (age 49–50)
Alma mater	University of Strasbourg University Paris VI University of Lyon I
Known for	Research on biodiversity monitoring, ecological applications of satellite remote sensing and rewilding; co-founding Soapbox Science
Awards	OBE (2024) FBES (2025)
Scientific career
Fields	Conservation biology, ecology, remote sensing
Workplaces	Zoological Society of London
Thesis	Variabilité individuelle et dynamique de population: Importance de la composante spatiale (2002, Lyon I)
Website	zsl.org/about-zsl/our-people/prof-nathalie-pettorelli

Nathalie Pettorelli OBE (born 1976) is a French conservation biologist whose research focuses on biodiversity monitoring, conservation ecology, remote sensing and rewilding.

She is a professor at the Institute of Zoology of the Zoological Society of London and editor-in-chief of Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation. Her research has examined the use of satellite-derived environmental data in ecology and conservation science, particularly in relation to biodiversity monitoring, ecosystem resilience and the interactions between climate change and biodiversity loss.

In 2011, Pettorelli co-founded Soapbox Science with evolutionary biologist Seirian Sumner, a public engagement initiative promoting the visibility of women scientists.

Early life and education

Pettorelli grew up in France and attended Pontonniers International High School, Strasbourg. She studied biology at the University of Strasbourg before specialising in ecology during her graduate studies at University Paris VI (now Sorbonne University). Her doctoral research at the University of Lyon focused on population dynamics and habitat quality in roe deer populations in south-west France.

Career and research

After completing her doctoral studies, Pettorelli joined the University of Oslo, where she researched the effects of climate variability on vegetation dynamics and deer populations. During this period, she began using remote sensing techniques, including satellite- and aircraft-derived environmental data in her ecological research. She later joined Université Laval, where she researched ungulate ecology, before moving to the Zoological Society of London to study cheetah population ecology.

Scientific contributions

Pettorelli is a conservation biologist at the Institute of Zoology of the Zoological Society of London, where her research has focused on biodiversity monitoring, conservation ecology and the ecological applications of remote sensing. She joined the institute in 2006 and became a research fellow there.

She has held an honorary lectureship at University College London, undertaken a secondment at the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), and contributed to postgraduate teaching programmes associated with the Elite Network of Bavaria.

Her research has explored ecological responses to environmental change on ecosystems and wildlife populations, with particular emphasis on biodiversity loss, ecosystem resilience and conservation under climate change. Her field research has included ecological studies in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania and the Ouadi Rimé–Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve, Chad with a focus on vegetation dynamics in protected areas, large mammal ecology and the conservation of scimitar oryx.

Remote sensing and biodiversity monitoring

Pettorelli's research has focused on the use of remote sensing in ecology and conservation science. A 2005 review article in Trends in Ecology & Evolution examined applications of the normalized difference vegetation index in ecological research. Subsequent publications examined the use of satellite-derived environmental data for biodiversity assessment and ecosystem monitoring.

Rewilding and conservation ecology

Pettorelli has published on rewilding and conservation under climate change, including a 2019 article with ecologist Johan T. du Toit, which distinguished rewilding approaches from ecological restoration focused on historical ecological baselines. Her work has also addressed interactions between biodiversity conservation and climate policy.

Public engagement and science communication

Mina Bizic presenting at a Soapbox Science event in Berlin in 2020.

Alongside her research, Pettorelli is involved with science communication and outreach. In 2011, with evolutionary biologist Seirian Sumner, she co-founded Soapbox Science, a public engagement initiative that organises science communication events in public spaces and aims to promote the visibility of women and non-binary scientists.

Pettorelli has written and spoken publicly on biodiversity conservation, climate change and rewilding through lectures, interviews and media appearances; and her work has been featured in BBC News, The Guardian, New Scientist, Carbon Brief and BBC Wildlife magazine.

Editorial and leadership roles

Pettorelli is editor-in-chief of Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation and served on the editorial boards of journals including Journal of Applied Ecology, Animal Conservation and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.

She has contributed to international scientific and conservation initiatives relating to biodiversity monitoring, ecosystem assessment and rewilding policy. She co-chairs the IUCN Rewilding Thematic Group and has represented the United Kingdom on programme boards of the Group on Earth Observations.

In 2023, Pettorelli was appointed to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Biodiversity Expert Committee, which advises the UK Government on biodiversity-related scientific evidence and policy. She has also served on the Office for Environmental Protection College of Experts advisory groups relating to biodiversity monitoring, conservation policy and environmental governance; and has contributed to parliamentary events relating to the Climate and Nature Bill.

Awards and honours

In 2010, Pettorelli received a L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science fellowship for her research on the effectiveness of terrestrial protected areas in conserving major ecosystems.

In 2015, she received a Point of Light award from Prime Minister David Cameron in recognition of her role in co-founding Soapbox Science. In 2016, she was awarded the Zoological Society of London silver medal for contributions to the understanding and appreciation of zoology, and has been recognised by the British Ecological Society as an equality and diversity champion.

Pettorelli received the British Ecological Society exceptional service to the society award in 2023. In 2024, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to conservation and outreach, and also included in The ENDS Report Power List. In 2025, she was elected a Fellow of the British Ecological Society (FBES).

Selected publications

• Pettorelli, Nathalie; Vik, Jon Olav; Mysterud, Atle; Gaillard, Jean-Michel; Tucker, Compton J.; Stenseth, Nils Chr. (2005). "Using the satellite-derived NDVI to assess ecological responses to environmental change". Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 20 (9): 503–510. doi:10.1016/j.tree.2005.05.011. PMID 16701427.

• Pettorelli, Nathalie; Ryan, Stephanie; Mueller, Thomas; Bunnefeld, Nils; Jędrzejewska, Bogumiła; Lima, Mauricio; Kausrud, Knut (2011). "The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI): unforeseen successes in animal ecology". Climate Research. 46 (1): 15–27. Bibcode:2011ClRes..46...15P. doi:10.3354/cr00936.

• Pettorelli, Nathalie; Safi, Kamran; Turner, Will (2014). "Satellite remote sensing, biodiversity research and conservation of the future". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. 369 (1643). doi:10.1098/rstb.2013.0190. PMC 3983925. PMID 24733945.

• Pettorelli, Nathalie; Laurance, William F.; O'Brien, Timothy G.; et al. (2014). "Satellite remote sensing for applied ecologists: opportunities and challenges". Journal of Applied Ecology. 51 (4): 839–848. Bibcode:2014JApEc..51..839P. doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12261.

• Pettorelli, Nathalie; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Schaepman, Michael E.; et al. (2016). "Satellite remote sensing of ecosystem functions: opportunities, challenges and way forward". Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation. 2 (2): 71–93. doi:10.1002/rse2.19. hdl:10023/9060.

• Pecl, Gretta T.; Araújo, Miguel Bastos; Bell, Johann D.; Blanchard, Julia; Bonebrake, Timothy C.; Chen, I-Ching; Clark, Timothy D.; Colwell, Robert K.; Danielsen, Finn; Evengård, Birgitta; Faletti, Meghan E.; Ferrier, Simon; Frusher, Stewart; Garcia, Rodrigo A.; Griffis, Roger B.; et al. (2017). "Biodiversity redistribution under climate change: Impacts on ecosystems and human well-being". Science. 355 (6332) eaai9214. doi:10.1126/science.aai9214. PMID 28360268.

• du Toit, Johan T.; Pettorelli, Nathalie (2019). "The differences between rewilding and restoring an ecologically degraded landscape". Journal of Applied Ecology. 56 (11): 2467–2471. Bibcode:2019JApEc..56.2467D. doi:10.1111/1365-2664.13487.

• Pettorelli, Nathalie; Durant, Sarah M.; du Toit, Johan T.; et al. (2019). "Breaking the rules: reforming and rethinking protected areas for conservation". Conservation Letters. 12 (4). doi:10.1111/conl.12657.

• Pettorelli, Nathalie; Graham, Nigel A. J.; et al. (2021). "Bending the curve of biodiversity loss requires an integrated strategy". One Earth. 4 (10): 1369–1371. doi:10.1016/j.oneear.2021.09.013. hdl:10138/335897.