Field Team of the LuiKotale Bonobo Project

Coming from a small place in the Italian Alps, I studied at the University of Turin and have a Masters’ degree in Science of Natural Systems. With funding from Erasmus, I was involved in a program planning an ecological corridor for habitat colonization of the plumbeous warbler, Setophaga plumbea, a bird that is native to the islands of Guadeloupe and Dominica. For my MSc, I studied Indri lemurs in Madagascar, a project that draw my attention to the urgent need of conservation at a place where local communities still depend on natural resources. I am interested in interactions and interdependence of organisms sharing the same ecosystem. Likewise, am fascinated by the biologic and cultural diversity of adaptations to different ways of living.

I have worked as animal caretaker for several years in Bolivia and Peru where I was engaged in a rehabilitation programs of wild animal species including their repatriation into natural habitats. I participated in daily data collection from released Spider monkeys in the Amazon forest. In this context I developed a passion for nonhuman primates, their behavior and lifestyle and ability to adapt to novel environments. Since April 2024, I am part of LuiKotale research team and take this as an opportunity to enhance my knowledge about wild primates and the skills and techniques of data collection.

My first experience with wildlife was when I studied an endangered language in Bolivia. After completing my thesis in linguistics in 2016 at the University of Lyon, I decided to shift my career focus towards species conservation. Ever since, various positions in sanctuaries across South America and Africa have provided me with a deeper understanding of the behavior of primates, including capuchins, spider monkeys, howler monkeys and chimpanzees. In 2023, I joined the LKBP as a research assistant, an experience that perfectly combines my passion for fieldwork, wild animals and scientific research. This year, I continue on this path by actively participating in the collection of long-term data, which is essential for understanding the behavior of bonobos.

I am a naturalist and photographer focusing on research projects on birds and mammals. I have worked in a variety of habitats including sub-Antarctic and Arctic islands, savannahs, and tropical, boreal and temperate forests. I specialize in tree climbing, which allows me to get into the canopies of tropical forests and explore their diverse fauna. Combining this skill with photography gives me an unusual perspective on arboreal species and provides me with new information about their behavior and ecology.

I studied Zoology and Marine Science at the University of Western Australia. After graduating I worked for an environmental consultancy, conducting field surveys throughout the Western Australian outback with a focus on the Pilbara region. After a brief stint as an environmental advisor for a gold mine, I moved to Malawi for five months for bat conservation and research, where I contributed to a project investigating bats and diseases, and trained volunteers in bat survey techniques. I joined the LuiKotale field team in February 2025 to combine my interest in behavioural ecology with my love of working in nature.

I am a zoologist with a strong passion for animal behaviour. Previously, I worked with the vulture conservation team of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, installing nest cameras and monitoring Egyptian vulture nesting behaviour in Bulgaria. Last year, I spent four months in South Africa collecting behavioural and ecological data on chacma baboons. My focus included comparing reconciliation rates between groups and studying raiding behaviour. I am particularly interested in animal cognition and the proximate explanations for their behaviour. Engaging in field studies allows me to merge my enthusiasm for research with my love for the outdoors. 

I am a primatologist with a deep passion for conservation and animal behavior. My academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in social anthropology, during which I studied in Costa Rica and fell in love with the local wildlife, inspired by those dedicated to protecting the forest and its inhabitants. This passion eventually led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Primate Conservation at Oxford Brookes University. During my MSc, I studied chimpanzees in Zambia, concentrating on the well-being of semi-wild individuals and their social dynamics during the introduction of new members into an existing group. My research emphasized primate social interactions and the observation of abnormal behavior. My interests lie particularly in great apes, human-wildlife conflict, and the illegal bushmeat and pet trade. I joined the LuiKotale Bonobo Project as a research assistant in December 2024, contributing to the long-term study of bonobos in their natural habitat—an aspiration I've held for many years.

I’m a conservation biologist passionate about protecting wildlife and fostering human-wildlife coexistence. My work has taken me across the globe, from bat conservation in Malawi to studying electric vehicle infrastructure in Bhutan. I love traveling, hiking, and exploring new places, especially when it involves working with animals. I have a particular fascination with apes and enjoy contributing to conservation efforts that make a difference.

I graduated in political philosophy and anthropology in Paris and then specialized in social practices for welcoming refugees and migrant people at the university of Bologna. In 2019, I joined the LKBP as a camp and research administrator. Following my first appointment, I returned to LuiKotale as a special envoy for film teams and journalists and for conducting conservation oriented campaigns in the villages. In 2023, I participated in a project that evaluates the sustainability of traditional hunting by villagers. Being part of a research team that combines scientific research, nature conservation, intercultural relationships, and economic development offers I am able to contribute my academic expertise, social skills and satisfy my ambition to consider the needs of wild animals and plants together with the requirements of traditional human societies.

I studied sociology in Germany (Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich) and France (École Normale Supérieure, Paris). During my studies, I had the opportunity to observe the behavior of herring gulls. This project reinforced my interest in studying animals, which remains a marginal subject in sociology. I now want to focus on studying the shared worlds of humans and animals. In this context, non-human primates living in their natural habitat particularly caught my attention. Given the close evolutionary ties between bonobos and humans, as well as the increasing threats to biodiversity, contributing to the LuiKotale and Ekongo projects as a research assistant is a meaningful way to advance research and support conservation efforts for this endangered species.