I am an animal welfare scientist and primatologist specialising in zoo welfare assessment and the interplay between cognition, environmental enrichment,  welfare and conservations. I joined the Department of Politics and Society's Centre for Animal Welfare in Sept. 2018.

I have over seven years experience lecturing and managing programmes in animal welfare, zoo biology and science, and am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I also work as a welfare consultant, most notably I have helped organisations create campaigns to raise awareness of the pet primate industry in the UK and the need for prohibition or regulation. For more information, visit the Welfare 4 Wildlife campaign run by Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre.

Prior to lecturing, I was a Senior Scientist at the RSPCA, where I instigated a primate rehoming scheme to rescue traumatised pet primates and provide them with safe, specialised care and an opportunity to experience good welfare, trust and good health. I have worked on other projects including the welfare of animals in travelling circuses, animals in tourism, zoo animal welfare and the welfare of other exotic mammals kept as pets.

My approach to animal welfare is one of inclusivity. I value a collaborative approach and maintain strong links with industry: I am the Coordinator of the Research Engagement Subgroup, Research Committee, British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and coordinate abstract review/programme development for the annual BIAZA research conference. 

I have three major research themes currently in development: 1) Use of qualitative behavioural assessment to assess welfare of zoo animals; 2) Extending the scope of animal welfare to include wild living animals; 3) Providing positive challenge to improve welfare of captive animals. 

Together with colleagues and my research students, ongoing projects are: 

• Exploring how qualitative behavioural assessment can be used in combination with citizen science at the zoo. 
• Aye aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) welfare, captive behaviour (particularly social and sexual behaviour) and statistical predictors of breeding success (in collaboration with ZSL London Zoo, Duke Lemur Centre, Bristol Zoo Gardens and others)
• Primate abnormal behaviour and diet: keeper perspectives
• The efficacy of canine massage therapy (in collaboration with University Centre Sparsholt and the Canine Massage Guild)
• Cognitive enrichment of dogs: training dogs using automated devices

If you are a prospective postgraduate student I welcome any application in applied animal welfare and would be happy to discuss research opportunities.

• Chimpanzee cognition and social learning
• Aye aye welfare and breeding success
• Quality of life concept of animal welfare and use of qualitative behaviour assessments
• Aetiology of abnormal behaviour in zoo animals
• Cognitive enrichment
• Zoo research and welfare assessment

Lang, G.P.S.A., Rose, P. E., Nash, S. M., and Riley, L. M. (2020). The nocturnal activity of a commonly housed rodent: How African pygmy dormice (Graphiurus murinus) respond to an enriched environment. Journal of Veterinary Behavior. Read it online.

Shaw, N. and Riley, L. M. (2020). Domestic dogs respond correctly to verbal cues issued by an artificial agent. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 224, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.104940

Riley, L. M. and Rose, P. E. (2020). Concepts, applications, uses and evaluation of environmental enrichment: Perceptions of zoo professionals. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 8(1), 18-28.

Riley. L. M. (2019). Qualitative Behavioural Assessment and potential uses in veterinary practice. International Animal Health Journal, 6(4), 16-19.

Rose, P. E. and Riley, L. M. (2919).The use of Qualitative Behavioural Assessment to zoo welfare measurement and animal husbandry change. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 7(4), 150-161.

Hammerton, R., Hunt, K. A., & Riley, L. M. (2019). An Investigation into keeper opinions of great ape diets and abnormal behaviour. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 7(4), 170-178.

Rose, P. E., Brereton, J. E., Rowden, L. J., de Figueiredo, R. L., and Riley, L. M. (2019). What’s new from the zoo? An analysis of ten years of zoo-themed research output. Palgrave Communications, 5(1), 1-10.

Riley, L. M. (2018). Conserving behaviour with cognitive enrichment: A new frontier for zoo conservation biology. In M. Berger and S. Corbett (Eds), Zoo Animals: Husbandry, Welfare and Public Interactions. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Rose, P. E., Hunt, K. A., and Riley, L.M. (2018). Animals in an online world: An evaluation of how zoological collections use social media. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 6(2): 57 - 62. 

Rose, P. E., Nash, S. M. and Riley, L. M. (2017). Moving forward with zoo welfare assessment: A response to Cooke (2017). Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 22, 75-77.

Rose, P. E., Nash, S. M. and Riley, L. M. (2017).  To pace or not to pace? A critical review of what Abnormal Repetitive Behaviour tells us about zoo animal management. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 20: 11-21.

Riley, L. M. (2012). Exotics Pledge: Project and Funding Brief. RSPCA document.

Riley, L. M. (2012). Pet Primates. RSPCA Brief for Government and associated press.

Riley, L. M. (2011). Enrichment report for MONA Foundation, Girona, Spain.

FINANCIAL AWARDS

2005        Economic and Social Research Council 1+3 Quota Studentship,(> £50,000).

2008        Central Research Fund Grant, University of London (£1200).

2009        Research Grant, Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths (£668).

2009        Twycross Zoo Research Grant (£512).

2016/17  Teaching Fellowship Award, University Centre Sparsholt.    (£1500 per annum).

MEMBERSHIP 

ABWAK, General Member, 2016 – ongoing

Primate Society of Great Britain, Student Member 2004 – 2019

Primate Society of Great Britain, Assistant Member 2019 – ongoing

BIAZA Research Committee, Assistant Member 2017 – ongoing

BIAZA Animal Welfare Working Group, Member 2019 – ongoing

@DrLisaRiley

I am Module Leader for:

AW1000 Introduction to Animal Welfare and Society

AW1003 Introduction to Research Methods

AW2002 Animal Welfare Concepts and Assessment

AW2003 Researching Risk and Animals

AW2999 Volunteering

AW3000 Placement in Animal Welfare and Society

AW3001 Applied Animal Behaviour

AW3002 Dissertation 

Current Elizabeth Roe: Predicting Breeding Success and Welfare of Captive Aye Ayes (Daubentonia madagascerensis).

Current Nicky Shaw: Domestic dog training with an artificial agent: Learning and welfare perspectives.

Current Rebecca Hammerton: Fruit-free diets for captive primates: Welfare perspectives.