Sun Bear Expert Team Co-chair

Zachary David is the Research Programme Manager for Free the Bears, where he leads and coordinates research focused on sun bears and Asiatic black bears across sanctuaries in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Zachary completed his Ph.D. at Old Dominion University, where he researched the metabolism and thermoregulation of endotherms, including sun bears and Asiatic black bears. Currently, Zachary’s research interests centre on improving conservation outcomes for bears through behavioural ecology, reproductive physiology, rewilding, and applied ex-situ research. He is particularly interested in how research conducted with rescued bears under human care can inform understanding of behaviour, survival, and reproduction in wild populations, and how these insights can be translated into more effective conservation, management, and recovery efforts for bears across their range.