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    ABOUT ME

    I am a Senior Wildlife Biologist, Terrestrial Ecologist, and Registered Professional Biologist (P.Biol., Alberta | RPBio Application in Progress, BC Labour Mobility Stream) specializing in terrestrial ecology, wildlife management, regulatory compliance, restoration ecology, and environmental resource management.

    With over 15 years of experience across Western Canada and Africa, my practice bridges Ph.D.-level scientific precision and executive leadership within corporate and Indigenous governance, integrating quantitative ecology with Indigenous Ecological Knowledge to conserve species at risk, protect habitats, and support sustainable natural resources management.

    For corporate developers, engineering primes, public agencies, and First Nations, I translate complex environmental and natural resources legislation into practical, data-driven, on-the-ground project compliance that protects project timelines, mitigates risk, and ensures flawless regulatory execution. As an independent consultant, I am currently available for specialized advisory projects, contract engagements, reviews, sign-offs, proposal development, grant funding applications, and permanent senior opportunities.

    Applied Leadership in Canada

    Most recently, as the Fisheries and Wildlife Manager for the Adams Lake Indian Band in British Columbia, I led complex terrestrial and aquatic conservation programs rooted in Indigenous stewardship priorities. Through successful proposal development and grant applications, I secured over $600,000 in environmental project funding in collaboration with partner institutions to drive major regional initiatives, including the Sinmax Creek watershed restoration and the Columbia Valley remote wildlife camera trap studies.

    I oversaw caribou road deactivation and habitat restoration, analyzed caribou telemetry data in R and GIS platforms and led vital salmon habitat and limnological water-quality assessments, while managing regulatory compliance through referral reviews under key legislation including the Fisheries Act, Wildlife Act, and SARA. Furthermore, I represented the Band across multiple working groups and mentored local field technicians.

    Global Research and Academic Contributions

    With postdoctoral experience at the University of Calgary and the University of Oslo, my portfolio covers wildlife ecology and management, landscape ecology, population genetics, and geospatial modeling. I have led extensive wildlife and habitat research and conservation initiatives protecting species at risk and vital terrestrial ecosystems.

    My career features 44 peer-reviewed articles, IUCN Red List assessments, and over 30 international grants, supported by collaborative partnerships with governments, Indigenous groups, and NGOs to bridge science and policy for impactful conservation outcomes.

    Academic Instruction and Professional Services

    I have taught core environmental and ecological courses at international institutions including the University of Calgary and Addis Ababa University. Additionally, I served as an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Primatology from 2018 to 2025.

  • CONTACT ME

    Addisu Mekonnen Kassie, Ph.D., P. Biol.

    Director, Bale Monkey and Bamboo Project

    Department of Anthropology and Archaeology

    University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Email: addisumekonnen@gmail.com

    ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Addisu_Mekonnen

    Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=kQ4Bcl4AAAAJ&hl=en

    Addisu Mekonnen Kassie, Ph.D.

    Adjunct Assistant Professor

    Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management

    Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

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