Li “Aster” Zhang has been working on wildlife conservation, environmental policy engagement and environmental education in China since 1996. After getting his Ph.D. in animal ecology in 1999, his work involved field research on various wildlife species in China, including tigers, Asian elephants, pangolins and Tibetan antelopes. After joining CI in 2006, Aster established CI’s Wildlife Trade Program in China, and worked together with China’s customs, forest police and other enforcement agencies to build their capacity on combating illegal wildlife trafficking in the region. He currently leads CI-China’s freshwater and forest carbon projects, which aim to demonstrate the value of “payment for ecosystem services” programs in the country. Learn more.