Anthony Pagano, Ph.D.

Dr. Anthony Pagano serves San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Population Sustainability. Anthony is interested in the ecophysiology of large mammals, particularly in the effect of anthropogenic and environmental disturbance on large mammal behavior and energy demands to aid species conservation.

Anthony’s research examines the behavior, foraging ecology, and energy expenditure of polar bears to better understand the implications of ongoing declines in Arctic sea ice. Anthony uses advancements in wildlife tracking technology to gain detailed insight into the habitat use and energy demands of large mammals. His current work is examining the seasonal energy demands of polar bears and the effects of increased land use by polar bears on their energy expenditure. 

Anthony earned his bachelor’s degree at Northeastern University and his master’s degree in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Minnesota. He earned his doctorate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Prior to joining San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Anthony spent ten years conducting research on polar bears with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska. Anthony’s postdoctoral fellowship is collaboratively supported by the San Diego Zoo, the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska, and Polar Bears International.