VE Meeting #1 by Katelyn Batic

Katelyn Batic

katelynbatic — 2024-09-12 23:20:13 UTC

Hi! I'm a third year Wildlife Ecology and Conservation major at the University of Florida. My hometown is Miami, FL. Pictured is me with a baby woolly monkey that I helped raise during my time studying in the Amazon Rainforest at the USFQ's biodiversity station. I'm really passionate about wildlife rehabilitation!

Gabriela Guzmán

2024-09-12 23:30:23 UTC

Lauren Haskins

laurenhaskins1 — 2024-09-12 23:59:08 UTC

I am a 4th year student in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation with a minor in Entomology. I have moved all over the US, living in Florida the longest. I have no background or experience in human dimensions but I think it is a super important field that should get more attention.

Jaguar

laurenhaskins1 — 2024-09-13 00:00:07 UTC

Livestock guarded by watchdog

laurenhaskins1 — 2024-09-13 00:01:15 UTC

Livestock predation by jaguars can be an issue in Latin America

Bats

laurenhaskins1 — 2024-09-13 00:01:55 UTC

Public opinion of bats shifted around the time of Covid

University of Florida

laurenhaskins1 — 2024-09-13 00:09:39 UTC

The University of Florida is consistently ranked as one of the best public universities in the United States!

Anaclara Arce Ruiz

2024-09-13 00:10:35 UTC

Hi! I’m from Costa Rica! I have a bachelor's degree in biology, with an emphasis in ecology and sustainable development. I am very interested in the topic of coexistence, specifically with felines. I hope to start my master's degree next year on a related topic.

Human-Condor Conflicts

katelynbatic — 2024-09-13 00:12:33 UTC

Human-Condor conflicts have increased in Ecuador over the last decades, and the species is now heavily threatened by habitat loss due to urban and agricultural expansion, forest plantations and mining activities, illegal hunting, competition with feral dogs, and carrion poisoning.

Isaac Clark

2024-09-13 00:15:01 UTC

Pollinators

laurenhaskins1 — 2024-09-13 00:15:18 UTC

This summer, I had the opportunity to go study pollinators in rural Oregon. Pollinator populations have been decreasing all over the US because of habitat loss. This is a Columbia silk moth that I found while setting up a transect to sample for bumblebees.

Prescribed Fire

2024-09-13 00:21:59 UTC

Prescribed fire is an important part of habitat management in Florida. Fire is a natural process that has shaped the ecosystems and wildlife in the southeastern United States. People are sometimes scared of prescribed fires and human dimensions is necessary in educating and informing the public about the importance of burning the landscape.

Hippos in Columbia

laurenhaskins1 — 2024-09-13 00:29:13 UTC

My favorite Latin American wildlife issue is invasive hippos in Columbia. Following the raid of drug lord Pablo Escobar's estates, his captive hippos were not properly managed. This led to an established population of hippos causing harm to waterways in Columbia. Authorities shot one hippo, and images of his body went public. This caused controversy among the citizens of Columbia and animals rights groups. Devising a management plan that pleases all stakeholders has proven difficult.

hongos micorrízicos

2024-09-13 00:38:44 UTC

To me, the Kingdom Fungi is wonderful. Its diversity in ecological functions, sizes, and shapes is impressive. Fungi play a fundamental role in the decomposition of organic matter and form symbioses with various organisms. They act as transformers, cooperators, communicators, and competitors in the ecosystem. They are both strange and beautiful. Some people love them, while others fear them. As humans, we still have much to learn about them and how to relate to non-human organisms. For my undergraduate thesis, I am conducting an ethnographic study of the popular culture of mushrooms to understand their valuation and impact on the conservation of the Fungi kingdom in southern Chile. May our connection with nature regenerate and grow through love, just like the mycelium.

Eva Garcia

2024-09-13 01:31:39 UTC

Hi! I'm a third year student in social and political sciences. I grew up in Marseille, in the south of France and I've been living in Toulouse (the city in the photo) for two years for my studies. I'm interested in the political dimension of environmental policy management and I would like to acquire new knowledge in wildlife ecology.

Internship in Costa Rica

2024-09-13 01:52:34 UTC

I'm currently in Costa Rica for a year, doing an internship in biological research. I analyze camera traps to study feline behavior and their interactions with humans. I also feel lucky to be able to observe Costa Rica's landscapes and wildlife for real.

Alejandro Pavlik

alexbpavlik — 2024-10-06 14:53:29 UTC

Hey everyone! My name is Alex and I am a fourth-year Wildlife Ecology and Conservation student at UF. I am from Tampa Florida and have lived in Florida my whole life. I am super interested in the human dimensions aspect of natural resource conservation and would love to research in the future more about traditional ecological knowledge and environmental justice. This picture is of me when I put on a dry suit to go snorkeling in Iceland between two tectonic plates!