I'm founder of Projeto Puma, a non-profit organization. The vision I've imprinted to the organization and my contributions to its success may entitle me to be considered a changemaker. By having travelers as part of our crew of scientists, we are getting people to know nature from a closer perspective, from the perspective of a scientist. This will hopefully increase understanding and enhance/create bonds with nature, people, and places.
I have many places I'm found of, the beach I spent my holydays when I was young, the Sierra Nevada of California, the Amazon forest where I've been a jungle guide when I was in college (at 21), the grasslands in the tablelands of southern Brazil where I live, the forests of the jaguar and puma project in Brazil, the arid lands of the middle east where I've been an expedition scientist, and I'm hooked by the island of Sumatra, Indonesia for sustaining very large and endangered mammals such as the elephant, rhino and tiger. I was always overtaken by nature's call when I was young. I used to swim for 7 km in open sea, and walk toward the mountains with no perspective of coming back...! but I should say this has changed quite a bit, I'm much more careful today.
I want to see the expansion of our capacity to engage more people and more places in our mission of nature conservation, particularly the conservation of habitats for endangered species.
Graduated in Biology, earned a Ph.D. in Ecology at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and a M.Sc. degree at the University of Durham, UK. Chairman and founder of Projeto Puma (www.projeto-puma.org), a Brazil-based wildlife conservation organization. Participated in numerous studies related to land use, land policy, and monitoring, including state-wide planning of wildlife corridors, management plans, action plans, and a Ph.D. thesis on the effects of different land tenure systems on biodiversity. Designed, raised funds, and implemented several wildlife projects that incorporated research, environmental education, community outreach programs, and field courses. Has experience with international conservation-oriented ecotourism, organizing and acting as scientist during jaguars surveys in the Brazilian Rain Forest, and during Arabian leopard surveys in the semi-deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. Gained support and credibility from the international scientific community as a result of systematic work, chiefly from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), of which is a consultant since 1997. Lecturer of zoology, ecology, and wildlife management at the ‘Universidade do Planalto Catarinense - UNIPLAC’ in Brazil, supervising students in a range of subjects.
