Cyril Pélissier

Cyril Pélissier is a senior expert in forestry, biodiversity conservation, and protected area management, with more than two decades of experience across Africa. He began his career developing forest management plans and forest certification schemes in the Congo Basin, before serving as a technical advisor to national administrations responsible for protected area and wildlife management in Central Africa (Central African Republic, Cameroon, and Democratic Republic of Congo), in roles supported by WWF.

As a consultant, he contributed to numerous studies, project designs, and evaluations for international conservation and development organisations, including IUCN, WWF, UNDP, the World Bank, GEF, and GIZ.

In 2019, Cyril joined African Parks to lead the EU-funded Aouk Project in south-eastern Chad, focused on transboundary anti-poaching early warning systems and landscape-level conservation planning linking the Greater Zakouma Ecosystem with protected areas in north-eastern Central African Republic. He joined Zakouma National Park as Park Manager in August 2023.