Chris Draper

Dr. Chris Draper is the Chief Operating Officer of the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). He has more than 20 years’ extensive and globally unique experience in the fields of animal welfare science, advocacy, and the management of wild animal sanctuaries.

He previously served as Head of Animal Welfare & Captivity at the Born Free Foundation, an international animal welfare and conservation organization, where he was responsible for its captive animal research and advocacy program and its network of animal sanctuaries.

He studied zoology and primatology at University College London and later completed a Doctorate at the University of Bristol focused on the implementation of legislation and assessment of animal welfare in zoos.

Dr. Draper sits on the UK’s Government-advisory Zoos Expert Committee, the UK’s Wild Animal Welfare Committee, and the Accreditation Committee for the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.