Dr Simone Bullion

President

I have been an active member of the Mammal Society for over 40 years, including serving on Council in the 1990s when I assisted with developing the ‘Look Out for Mammals’ training programme and helped lead the first pilot courses. During this time, I also wrote two fold-out charts on mammal identification and tracks and signs for the Society, in collaboration with Field Studies Council. Over the years I have continued to work with senior staff, whenever requested. In 2025 the Society published the third edition of the Hazel Dormouse Conservation Handbook, for which I am the lead author. 

I first became interested in mammals as an undergraduate student, inspired by Pat Morris. After a brief foray into bioarchaeology for my doctorate, I then focused on broadening my ecological interests. My early employment was as an environmental education tutor and then as a lecturer at an agricultural college. 

The majority of my working life has been within the Conservation Team at Suffolk Wildlife Trust. During this period, I managed the delivery of a range of mammal-related survey and conservation projects, encompassing hazel dormice, hedgehogs, harvest mice and water voles. I managed staff responsible for the Trust’s planning responses, County Wildlife Sites, river restoration and various mammal project officers. I was also responsible for the Trust’s specialist ecological consultancy working primarily with public bodies and utility companies. Volunteering with Suffolk Naturalist’s Society as the County Mammal Recorder, in 2009 I also authored the county atlas The Mammals of Suffolk. 

My particular interest in hazel dormice focuses on detection methods, including highlighting the value of footprint tunnels compared with other methods. I lead training courses and I continue to work with key stakeholders at local and national level to promote dormouse conservation. 

Now an independent ecologist, I am also Secretary of Devon Mammal Group. I was extremely honoured this year to receive the Mammal Society Medal at the annual conference in Inverness. It is my strong wish to see the Society flourish and continue to be the lead science-led organisation for mammal conservation.