WWF announces recipients of the 2024 WWF Russell E. Train Education for Nature fellowships

Despite extensive research on Nepal’s rhinos and elephants, gaps remain in understanding the movement and genetic diversity within the populations of these species. Abhinaya Pathak’s research focuses on the movement dynamics in human-dominated landscapes and genetic variation in endangered mega-herbivores—specifically, the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and the Asian Elephant in Nepal. Using satellite telemetry, Abhinaya will assess the migratory and seasonal movement of elephants across Nepal and rhinos within Chitwan National Park. He will also collect dung samples from both wild and captive megaherbivores to assess their genetic diversity. These findings will provide crucial information to implement effective conservation strategies, mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, and improve habitat management. Ultimately, Abhinaya’s work aims to shift attitudes positively and promote coexistence, which is integral to building community support for wildlife conservation and strengthening community-based conservation efforts.

Indonesia is home to 76% of the world's coral species, but information on coral genetic diversity in this region of the world is still limited. Adib Mustofa aims to conduct a first-time comprehensive population genomics study of corals across the Indonesian archipelago, spanning from the most western to the eastern part of Indonesia. He will also investigate the community structure of the symbiotic algae associated with the coral host, which can be a proxy for the thermal resistance of corals to the changing climate. Adib’s work will be crucial for designing relevant spatial conservation strategies for coral reef ecosystems nationwide.

The scale of the Nature-based Tourism (NBT) industry and the rate at which it continues to grow presents both opportunities and threats for biodiversity conservation and livelihoods of local communities. Clarence Ntesa’s research will use an innovative methodological framework to model and analyze the effects of tourism, specifically photographic tourism and safari hunting, on biodiversity and the livelihoods of the communities living within the Salambala Conservancy. She will also determine the interactions between NBT, local livelihoods, and biodiversity conservation. Clarence’s work will provide an alternative framework for investigation and monitoring impacts of NBT to enhance the benefit to biodiversity and community well-being.

Lake Nyasa in southern Tanzania is home to the critically endangered fish species, Bagrus meridionalis. This species is a major source of food and income for surrounding fishing communities. Despite the importance of Bagrus meridionalis, there is limited knowledge on their population structure, ecological habitats, and distribution. Farida Mayowela will investigate the breeding areas of Bagrus meridionalis and determine threats to these sites along with determining the population structure and distribution of the species at selected fish landings areas on the Tanzania side of Lake Nyasa. Farida’s work will contribute to the development of a conservation action of Bagrus meridionalis in Lake Nyasa.

The Ecuadorian Amazon forest, essential for the health of the biosphere, offers known ecosystem services, such as the production of oxygen and rich biodiversity. Despite these benefits, there is limited research on the influence of mammal communities in these ecosystems. Fidel Ernesto Rodríguez Galarza’s work will examine the variables that affect the change in land use in the canton Arajuno and the relationship between the size of the patches and the diversity of mammals. He will also assess the impact of selective logging on trees and its connection with mammals. Fidel’s research will inform the health and sustainable management of these ecosystems through integration of resource management knowledge from the Kichwa indigenous communities.

National parks in sub-Saharan Africa pose challenges and opportunities for the communities adjacent to them. Conservation and community development organizations aspire to reduce these challenges and enhance opportunities. Gasto Lyakurwa’s research examines how household livelihood security dynamics and ecotourism benefits influence poaching, particularly in communities buffering national parks. Using a mixed-methods approach, Gasto will assess the motivations and perceptions associated with the complex relationships between ecotourism benefits, household livelihoods, and poaching. His findings will contribute to the development of impactful conservation and community development policies and advance the understanding of the relationships between national parks and their adjacent communities in Tanzania and beyond.

The Karamoja sub-region is facing an increasing decline in forage due to invasive species. Climate variability and climate change are also cascading these effects. The invasives have been recorded even in protected areas of the region. Gordon Y. Mwesigwa’s research focuses on understanding the challenges facing pastoral communities in Karamoja due to changing environmental and socio-political factors. He will investigate the distribution of forage resources and the impact of invasive species on vegetation productivity and ecological stability. Gordon’s work will advance information on context-specific impact indicators and thresholds to support development of early warning systems and policy for sustainable forage management in Uganda.

Ivan Mattos e Lemos is studying financing for restoration projects and conservation of natural ecosystems, such as mangrove restoration and marine sanctuaries. His research focuses on public policies for the blue economy, specifically in the practical application of the economic concept of the value chain. Using participatory approaches, he will work with diverse stakeholders to develop systems for economically valuing the efforts of local communities in the conservation of ocean resources. Ivan’s work will contribute to the direct capture of revenue to finance conservation of marine ecosystems while promoting equity in local development.

Joshua Benjamin’s research is “like a health check-up for the Mara River Basin's aquatic life”. The Mara River, which is home to a variety of fish and macroinvertebrate communities that are very important for the ecosystem, is increasingly threatened by habitat fragmentation, deforestation, flow regulation, urbanization, pollution, sedimentation, and over-exploitation. Joshua’s research will test the influence of multiple stressors on fish and macroinvertebrate communities along the longitudinal gradient of the Mara River to understand how these taxa vary across space and time. Using a range of techniques, he will sample a variety of fish and macroinvertebrates at 20 sites along the river from the upper headwaters to the mouth of Lake Victoria with two-thirds of the sites located in Kenya and the remainder in Tanzania. Joshua’s work will provide key information on the abundance and diversity status of the fish and macro-invertebrate communities in the Mara River Basin. Ultimately, his findings are critical to both Kenya and Tanzania given the increasing reliance on the Mara River Basin.

Despite extensive studies on fire, herbivory, and termites, their interactive effects on soil microbial communities remain poorly understood. Mary Waithira Ngugi’s research seeks to understand how different herbivore groups may interact with fire and termites to influence soil microbial communities in a semi-arid savanna ecosystem. She will conduct her research at Kenya’s Mpala Research Centre within the Kenya Long-term Exclosure Experiment (KLEE), established in 1995. Mary will carry out sampling across multiple plots to collect representative soil samples which will then undergo microbial analysis to extract DNA in order to determine bacterial and fungal communities' richness and diversity. Her findings will contribute to understanding of herbivore-specific impacts and how they shape microbial dynamics. The study will offer practical applications for sustainable land management agriculture, and biodiversity conservation in savanna-like ecosystems.

Nataly Guevara’s research aims to provide a novel approach that recognizes the essential role of microorganisms in ecosystem health and recovery, with a focus on mangrove restoration efforts. She will work at two study sites, each representing different restoration stages: Ecuador's Chone River Estuary, and the mangrove community in the Galápagos Archipelago. At these sites, she will collect sediment samples from various soil layers to identify the taxonomic diversity and functional potential of microbial communities. Subsequently, Nataly will conduct experiments to expose mangrove seedlings and their microbiomes to assess their potential in mitigating toxic compounds and promoting plant growth through the production of Plant Growth Beneficial properties. The outcomes of Nataly's work will be impactful at multiple levels—from the molecular scale to ecosystem-wide effects—contributing to the overarching goal of fostering resilient and thriving mangrove ecosystems.

Pema Khandu’s research centers on the conservation of the critically endangered White-bellied Herons in Bhutan's Punatsangchhu and Mangdechhu river basins. Despite hosting a significant portion of the global White-bellied Herons population, these habitats face rapid degradation from human activities. Using interdisciplinary approaches, Pema will fill knowledge gaps by examining White-bellied Herons’ roosting ecology and assessing threats through identifying and protecting roost sites crucial for their survival. His findings will guide effective conservation strategies, ensuring the preservation of this endangered species.

Priscilla Wangari Mureithi’s research aims at developing community-friendly monitoring protocols for assessing the pollution levels of rivers draining from Southern Mount Kenya and Western Aberdare Ranges catchments in Kenya. She will use a number of intervention strategies (including collection of water quality data and community involvement) to determine the riparian community livelihoods, the levels of awareness and perception of river’s values and attributes and threats, and the stakeholders’ roles in conservation. Priscila’s work will play a significant role in developing simple community-based monitoring protocols and enhancing the capacity of key stakeholders in river management and conservation.

Rovindra Lakenarine will be studying a pressing issue in marine fisheries called bycatch. Bycatch is the unintentional capture of non-target marine animals such as dolphins, turtles, birds, and finfish. Currently, more knowledge is needed on the extent of non-target catch in the artisanal fisheries of Guyana. By working with fishers and captainsonboard gillnet vessels and at fish landing sites in Demerara and Berbice Counties, Rovindra will identify bycatch species composition and determine the effect of seasonal changes on bycatch composition. His work will provide crucial data to develop management plans and policies that contribute to the sustainable management of marine fisheries in Guyana. Ultimately, the involvement of the fishers in data collection can lead to continuous data collection and monitoring with the potential to contribute to the body of knowledge on bycatch in artisanal fisheries, providing insights that could be applicable in other regions facing similar challenges.

Shailendra Yadav’s research aims to assess the consequences of an increasing tiger population from both an ecological and social perspective based on tiger connectivity, changing diet, spatio-temporal human-tiger conflict, and local perception towards tiger conservation. Using a variety of techniques, Shailendra will conduct genetic identification of individuals from non-invasive sampling of scats to determine the genetic variability of tigers. He will also determine the food habits of tigers by micro-histological analysis. The human-tiger conflict and local perceptions towards tiger conservation will be analyzed based on key informant (local expert) opinion surveys, household surveys, and focus group discussions. Shailendra’s work will provide information for better tiger conservation and improve the coexistence of tigers and people.

Sunita Dhungana’s research investigates the impact of IAPs on the forests and local communities of Chitwan National Park, Nepal. She will assess the current status of IAPs, their effect on trees and regeneration, as well as their influence on household economies. By exploring local adaptation techniques to manage IAPs, the study aims to enhance forest health and community livelihoods. By combining field surveys, policy reviews, and community engagement, Sunita endeavors to provide valuable insights into the complex dynamics between invasive species, forest health, and well-being of residents.

The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) and the King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) are Neotropical forest raptors with a distribution across tropical forests in middle America and South America. Both species are considered sacred by indigenous cultures and both are listed as endangered according to the Mexican laws, due to habitat loss and hunting threats. Alan Monroy Ojeda’s work will identify those areas that currently maintain the conditions to host a viable population and are potential sites to implement a reintroduction strategy to strengthen the conservation of the Harpy Eagle, which is considered practically extirpated from the Mexican territory. Alan’s findings will contribute to the knowledge base which will strengthen the conservation strategies for the Harpy Eagle and King Vultures in Mexico.

Bairon Cuevas aims to understand if marine traffic intensification is causing stress on fin whales. Given that high cortisol concentrations may be indicative of chronic stress in whales, Bairon will assess blubber cortisol concentrations in fin whales foraging in two different grounds of the South East Pacific: the Antarctic Peninsula (an area with less marine traffic) and the Mejillones Peninsula (an intense marine traffic area of northern Chile) to determine levels of stress caused by traffic. His findings will contribute to proposing a Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) for cargo ships to avoid the collision with whales in the Antofagasta region.

The Macrocystis pyrifera, a prominent giant alga found abundantly along the coastlines of Peru and Chile, plays a pivotal role in coastal ecosystems. Nonetheless, it encounters formidable conservation hurdles from both people and environmental change. Diego Marquez-Corigliano’s study aims to dissect adaptive divergence, examining the evolutionary mechanisms of M. pyrifera within the region to assess its evolutionary potential. His findings will be essential in safeguarding biological variability and bolstering adaptability amidst dynamic environmental shifts. The outcomes will enhance the understanding of M. pyrifera's population dynamics, thereby pinpointing critical preservation areas across its extensive distribution range, while accounting for its vulnerability or risk of extinction.

The Pacific of Guatemala has no marine protected areas restricted to fishing. As such, most of the fisheries are considered open access with no fisheries management measures. While current efforts in Sipacate-Naranjo and Tecojate, the two marine areas with wetland ecosystems, are focused on proposing their declaration as the first protected areas in the Pacific of Guatemala, there is limited information about the dynamics of artisanal fisheries and how they respond to environmental factors. Francisco Emanuel Polanco-Vásquez’s work will determine the economic variability of demersal and small pelagic artisanal fisheries communities of Sipacate and Tecojate. He will collect data on landings and model the economic, spatial, temporal dynamics, and environmental factors that determine the behavior of fishing fleets. Francisco’s findings will contribute detailed knowledge on fishing operations which will be beneficial in developing suitable multi-species fisheries management measures and support conservation of vulnerable species.

The tropical flowering plant Bromeliads is considered a moisture buffer environment for some amphibians whose survival is supported by their water tank container. However, understanding the consequences of climate change and disease in amphibians living in bromeliad tank plants is still a mystery. Gustavo Ruano Fajardo will study the bromeliad-dwelling amphibians’ skin bacteria that could help reduce the susceptibility of amphibians to infectious diseases, such as the chytrid fungus disease, which is responsible for massive amphibian population die-offs worldwide. He will use a non-invasive sampling method by pumping water from bromeliads into a filtering membrane to get small fragments of DNA and recognize what type of bacteria and amphibians coexist inside them. Additionally, he will be taking samples of the bacteria and pathogens that live in the skin of several individuals of amphibians. Comparing bacteria from both the amphibian skin individuals and bromeliad can help search for sources of potentially beneficial bacteria for frogs and salamanders.

Hernán G. Álvarez seeks to understand the dynamics behind compliance and cooperation with wildlife trade regulations in the Amazon of Ecuador. He will employ a conservation criminology approach that combines quantitative and qualitative techniques to analyze the socio-cultural, socio-economic, psychological, and situational factors influencing illegal behaviors related to wild meat consumption and trade. He will also explore the role of collaborative networks between local and regional actors to develop and implement effective law enforcement strategies to reduce the wild meat trade. Hernan’s work will generate outcomes to foster participatory-based strategies to tackle illegal wildlife trade in Ecuador.

Joel Güity will study public coastal management policies in the Western Caribbean, focusing on Honduras, Costa Rica, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. He will identify similarities and differences in the Integrated Coastal Management strategies implemented by these countries, with the aim of addressing critical environmental challenges such as biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution. Using a comparative and propositional approach, Joel will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of existing public policies, with the intention of identifying best practices and formulating recommendations that can improve the effectiveness and adaptability of coastal management strategies in the Western Caribbean region.

Krystal Bedregal Flores’ research seeks to understand how property regimes in cocoa forests have evolved in Baures, Beni, using a theoretical framework created by Elinor Ostrom. She will analyze how local institutions have evolved over time and how this has affected the rights of property in cocoa production. Krystal will examine how these institutions operate in practice and how they can adapt to promote sustainability and equity in the production of cocoa. Her work will contribute to a deeper understanding of the governance of natural resources and will provide relevant information for the design of effective conservation and rural development policies in the region.

Laura Serna’s work through the Bridges and Pathways of Life project aims to enhance the protection of the critically endangered brown spider monkey (Ateles hybridus). Working with local communities and government entities, she will identify fragmented populations and model the creation of ecological corridors, which connect fragments of forests separated by roads or agricultural land. Laura’s collaborative research will help facilitate the safe movement of the monkeys and promote reforestation.

Songbird racing involves pitting songbirds of the Sporophila genus against each other in a competition to reach a set number of notes in the birds’ calls. This activity is popular on the coast of Guyana and has been exported abroad with the Guyanese diaspora in the US and Canada. This has resulted in an illegal trade with arrests of smugglers regularly in the news. On the coast, populations of these birds have disappeared due to intense trapping, and trade networks have spread to Guyana’s interior and now involve the Indigenous communities that reside there. Meshach Pierre aims to understand why people take part in bird racing, and the economic and cultural benefits both bird racers on the coast and Indigenous peoples get from it. His research will also examine the attributes that lead to the desirability of songbirds, and whether captive breeding can be employed as a conservation tool.

Conserving, restoring, and sustainably managing mangrove ecosystems can figure prominently in climate change mitigation/adaptation and biodiversity conservation strategies of countries hosting extensive mangrove areas. Yet, there is insufficient knowledge about mangrove degradation status, recovery rates, and the contributions of community-based recovery initiatives. Through her work in Mexico, Paola Fajardo aims to fill these knowledge gaps by conducting participatory and collaborative interdisciplinary applied research to decipher the socio-cultural, environmental, and economic benefits of community-based mangrove recovery using as a model Marismas Nacionales—one of the largest mangrove systems in Mexico— where Paola has been working on community-based mangrove restoration, capacity development, and research projects since 2006 in different roles. Her research will provide evidence to inform public policies and establish permanent non-market-based financial mechanisms to support mangrove conservation/restoration efforts and local communities that highly rely on mangroves.

There is a worldwide interest in developing reforestation initiatives to reverse forest loss and restore ecosystem service in the tropics. Paula López Vargas’ work analyzes the impact of governance on the implementation and sustainability of reforestation project outcomes. By understanding how governance affects reforestation dynamics and outcomes, more effective strategies can be developed to address the environmental and social challenges associated with reforestation initiatives. Paula’s findings will provide a solid basis for the formulation of policies and practices that promote participatory management and equitable benefit sharing with Indigenous peoples in reforestation projects.

Freshwater resources are an essential asset for riparian communities in the Peruvian Amazon. They provide an important source of nutrition and economic opportunity, as local fisheries are a main source of livelihoods. These resources also play a central role in riparian communities’ spiritual connections and kinship with the natural environment. Tania Romero Bautista’s research aims to investigate how the governance of Amazonian freshwater resources could improve if riparian communities were more active participants in the policymaking process and the impact their participation would have on important social and environmental outcomes. Her findings will advance knowledge about the riparian communities’ interests and context, providing a foundation for improved participatory policymaking between communities and policy makers.

Yuliana C. Rodriguez Mongui will work closely with Indigenous communities along the Caquetá River in Colombia to monitor the resilience of native seeds to climate change. By engaging local researchers and community members, her project will focus on identifying seeds that are resistant to shifting climate patterns, documenting traditional seed uses, and developing adaptation strategies based on Indigenous knowledge. Through community-based monitoring and capacity-building workshops, the research seeks to create seed inventories, understand patterns of seed exchange, and promote the use of traditional knowledge in conservation efforts. The ultimate goal is to enhance seed biodiversity preservation, support food sovereignty, and empower local communities to adapt to climate change challenges in the Amazon region.

Understanding and addressing human-elephant conflicts (HEC) within Murchison Falls National Park is crucial. Existing records of these conflicts lack comprehensive analysis and mapping. Julius Muge’s proposed research employs predictive modeling to fill this gap, testing the contribution of human and environmental factors in HEC. Using data from the Uganda Wildlife Authority and other sources, Julius aims to identify risky places and times for HEC. He will generate recommendations that will guide targeted mitigation efforts and facilitate the efficient use of limited conservation resources.