The PeLeWG has more than 40 members, including the Steering Committee (SC) comprised of 15 members. Two Co-Chairs are also SC members. Each range country is represented by one or two SC members. All SC members and Co-Chairs are elected for three years by the number of votes, and no more than for two consecutive terms, extendable after a break term. The exception is when there is no other representative from a country whose SC member has already passed two terms.

The SC evaluates the performance of its members by the end of each term against the specified tasks.

If you wish to become a member of the PeLeWG, you are welcome to Get Involved.  

Members of the PeLeWG Steering Committee for 2023-2025

Co-Chairs

Dr. Igor Khorozyan, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), ARMENIA. E-mail: igorkhorozyan(at)gmail.com, ikhorozyan(at)wwfcaucasus.org

Dr. Mohammad Farhadinia, University of Oxford and University of Kent, UK. E-mail: mohammad.farhadinia(at)biology.ox.ac.uk

Steering Committee

Dr. Anna Yachmennikova, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RUSSIA. E-mail: felis.melanes(at)yandex.ru

Dr. Deniz Mengüllüoğlu, wildlife biologist, TÜRKIYE. E-mail: denizmengulluoglu(at)gmail.com

Hana Raza, Leopards Beyond Borders, Kurdistan Region, IRAQ. E-mail: h.raza(at)leopardsbeyondborders.org

Konul Ahmadova, WWF, AZERBAIJAN. E-mail: kahmadova(at)wwfcaupo.org

Maria Gritsina, Institute of Zoology, UZBEKISTAN. E-mail: mgritsina(at)gmail.com

Dr. Muhammad Kabir, University of Haripur, PAKISTAN. E-mail: kabir_ajk(at)hotmail.com

Niloufar Raeesi Chahartaghi, Sustainability and Conservation Advocate, IRAN. E-mail: n.raeesi.ch(at)gmail.com

Dr. Özgün Emre Can, Ankara University, TÜRKIYE. E-mail: ozgunemrecan(at)gmail.com

Shirin Karryeva, Center for Large Landscape Conservation and Conservation X Labs, TURKMENISTAN. E-mail: shirinkarryeva.sk(at)gmail.com

Dr. Tatjana Rosen, Conservation X Labs, TURKMENISTAN. E-mail: naryntrosen(at)gmail.com

Vladimir Terentiev, Biodiversity Research and Conservation Center, KAZAKHSTAN. E-mail: vladi14_2000(at)yahoo.co.uk

Dr. Yury Yarovenko, Precaspian Institute of Biological Resources, Daghestan, RUSSIA. E-mail: yarovenko2004(at)mail.ru

Dr. Zalmai Moheb, University of Massachusetts Amherst, AFGHANISTAN. E-mail: mohebzalmai(at)yahoo.com

Other Members

Dr. Alexander Sliwa, Cologne Zoo, GERMANY. E-mail: sliwa(at)koelnerzoo.de

Dr. Alim Pkhitikov, A.K. Tembotov Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories, RUSSIA. E-mail: pkhitikov(at)gmail.com

Dr. Arash Ghoddousi, Wageningen University, THE NETHERLANDS. E-mail: arash.ghoddousi(at)gmail.com

Atie Taktehrani, Iranian Cheetah Society, IRAN. E-mail: a.taktehrani(at)gmail.com

Aurel Heidelberg, WWF, GERMANY. E-mail: aurel.heidelberg(at)wwf.de

Bahez Ali, Leopards Beyond Borders, Kurdistan Region, IRAQ. E-mail: bahezfali94(at)gmail.com

Begench Mammedov, Mountaineering Club "Mert", TURKMENISTAN. E-mail: mamedov.begench(at)gmail.com

Bejan Lortkipanidze, NACRES, GEORGIA. E-mail: bejan.lortkipanidze(at)nacres.org

Elshad Askerov, WWF, AZERBAIJAN. E-mail: easkerov(at)wwfcaucasus.org

Farid Salmanpour, Shahid Beheshti University, IRAN. E-mail: fa.salmanpour(at)gmail.com

Dr. Iman Memarian, Dr. Memarian Veterinary Clinic, IRAN. E-mail: imanmemarianvet(at)gmail.com

Prof. John Linnell, Norwegian Inland University of Applied Sciences, NORWAY. E-mail: john.linnell(at)inn.no

Dr. Jose A. Hernandez-Blanco, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RUSSIA. E-mail: j.a.hernandez.blanco(at)gmail.com

José Dias Ferreira, The Royal Commission of AlUla, SAUDI ARABIA. E-mail: josediasferreira(at)gmail.com

Dr. Karen Manvelyan, WWF, ARMENIA. E-mail: kmanvelyan(at)wwfcaucasus.org

Kaveh Hobeali, Future4Leopards Foundation, IRAN. E-mail: kavehobeali(at)gmail.com

Madina Slanova, North Ossetian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, RUSSIA. E-mail: slanovamadina(at)mail.ru

Dr. Mahmood Soofi, University of Kent, UK. E-mail: m.soofi(at)kent.ac.uk

Maka Bitsadze, WWF, Georgia. E-mail: mbitsadze(at)wwfcaucasus.org

Marianne Hartmann, Zooberatung/Wildcat Project, SWITZERLAND. E-mail: marianne.hartmann(at)felissilvestris.com

Dr. Mark Pestov, Dront Ecological Center, RUSSIA. E-mail: vipera(at)dront.ru

Mirza Hussain Rezayee, Wildlife Conservation Society, AFGHANISTAN. E-mail: mirza.rezayi58(at)gmail.com

Muhibullah Fazli, National Environmental Protection Agency, AFGHANISTAN. E-mail: fmuhibnepa(at)gmail.com

Natalia Dronova, Nature and People Foundation, RUSSIA. E-mail: ndronova(at)naturepeople.ru

Nima Badelu, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, IRAN. E-mail: badelunima(at)gmail.com

Noorullah Ahmadzai, Wildlife Conservation Society, AFGHANISTAN. E-mail: nahmadzai86(at)gmail.com

Dr. Pavel Weinberg, North Ossetian State Nature Reserve, RUSSIA. E-mail: tu_r(at)rambler.ru

Peter Gerngross, Silvestris e.U., AUSTRIA. E-mail: peter.gerngross(at)silvestris.at

Pooriya Sepahvand, Tarbiat Modares University, IRAN. E-mail: sepahvand.pooriya(at)gmail.com

Sharif Uddin Baloch, Balochistan Forest and Wildlife Department, PAKISTAN. E-mail: sharifccwlb(at)gmail.com

Soran Ahmed, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, IRAQ. E-mail: soran.ahmed(at)univsul.edu.iq

Tabea Lanz, IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group, SWITZERLAND. E-mail: t.lanz(at)kora.ch

Prof. Tobias Kuemmerle, Humboldt University of Berlin, GERMANY. E-mail: tobias.kuemmerle(at)hu-berlin.de

Dr. Urs Breitenmoser, IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group, SWITZERLAND. E-mail: u.breitenmoser(at)kora.ch

Vasil Ananyan, WWF, ARMENIA. E-mail: vananyan(at)wwfcaucasus.org

Vazha Kochiashvili, WWF Caucasus Programme Office, GEORGIA. E-mail: vkochiashvili(at)wwfcaucasus.org

Prof. Viatcheslav Rozhnov, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RUSSIA. E-mail: rozhnov-v-2015(at)yandex.ru