Scientists love to talk to other scientists but while this is an importance part of the scientific process, the reluctance to engage with those outside scientific circles is a likely contributor to the growing distrust between scientists and the public. The project “BIOgraphies: The lives of those who study life”, in the original Portuguese “BIOgrafias: … [Read more…]
Species translocations are often used as a management solution for species with small populations and restricted populations. This is almost always a very expensive solution and the economic case for pursuing it is rarely analysed. This was what me and colleagues from DICE and and the School of Economics, University of Kent tried to tackle in a neat … [Read more…]
In the last week or so I had to papers published on the use of conservation flagships. The first (see PDF here) dwells on the selection of conservation flagship species using bird conservation in Brazil. This was part of my PhD and hopes to connect some the dots in terms of building bridges between marketing … [Read more…]
Many scientists invest their time peer-reviewing articles without receiving any compensation, besides a metaphorical pat on the back. To try and start tackling this issue me and Dave Roberts, also from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, published a note in Trends in Ecology and Evolution on how we can put peer-reviewing on the map by making it … [Read more…]
I have recently edited a Special Issue on behaviour change and biodiversity conservation for the online open-access journal Conservation Evidence. This Special Issue showcases work carried out in three continents and on topics as varied as ecosystem services, tiger poaching or waste management. Find all the content here!
Just out in Biodiversity and Conservation is a paper entitled “Anthropomorphized species as tools for conservation: utility beyond prosocial, intelligent and suffering species” on the uses of anthropomorphism in conservation that I had the great pleasure of co-authoring. This article dwells on how making a species more human-like can help get conservation related messages across more easily … [Read more…]
The “Projeto Ararinha na Natureza” led by SAVE Brasil, launched the first annual report of the conservation outreach activities it is undertaking with the aim of preparing a future reintroduction of the iconic Spix’s Macaw. The species is currently “extinct in the wild” although a number of institutions have been collaboration to return this species to its natural habitat. It has been a great pleasure to … [Read more…]
In another natural history short note me and a few colleagues document the finding of an adult specimen of Bothrops taeniatus Wagler, 1824 in the Municipality of Assis Brasil, in the Rio Acre Ecological Station, Acre, Brazil. This is the first record of this species for the state of Acre, extending the species distribution globally by approximately 164 Km west. Find … [Read more…]
Last November I went out to work on a Environmental Education project lead with Ricardo Lima, in the small island country of São Tomé and Príncipe in West Africa. We visited hundreds of people in rural communities and dozens of classrooms across the country in an experience that undoubtedly made us realise how important these activities are and how they should … [Read more…]
A few days ago I co-author a short note that presents the first record of the Bicoloured-spined Porcupine for Brazil. Its not often that a mammal of this size is first recorded for a country, even one as large and biodiverse as Brazil! Checkout the short note here.