Dr. Susan Wilson is a freelance consultant in seal behavioural biology, ecology, and welfare. Her published research has focused on mother–pup behaviour, juvenile development, and behavioural ecology of seals in the UK, North America, and the Caspian Sea. She has also carried out ecological impact assessment and seal conservation projects in Ireland. Together with colleagues at the World Bank, Dr. Wilson initiated the Caspian seal 'Ecotox' project, which diagnosed the canine distemper virus as the cause of mass seal moralities throughout the Caspian Sea between 1997 and 2002. She was subsequently a key founding member of the Caspian International Seal Survey (CISS), under which auspices she led a team to document the impact of industry ice-breaking vessels on Caspian seal mothers and pups and develop mitigation measures. This led to publicising conservation concerns about the impact of industrial shipping on seals across the Arctic seas. She is Chair of the Seal Conservation Society and currently continues research projects on seal behaviour and pup rehabilitation, as well as coordination of projects to monitor breeding harbour seal populations.