Craig Stanford

Craig Stanford, Craig is Co-Chair of the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, and Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Southern California. He has conducted field studies of tortoises, turtles, and other animals in South and Southeast Asia, East Africa, China, and Mexico. His research has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Foundation, and the National Geographic Society, among others.

He has authored 20 scientific and popular award-winning books and more than 175 scholarly and popular articles on animal behavior and human nature. His 2024 book The Turtle Crisis, examines the global threats to the future of the most critically endangered turtles and tortoises. He is a leader in promoting new scientific research in chelonians and travels extensively tosupports program development in many countries.