Research
How can mammals support functioning ecosystems and the livelihoods of communities?
We work at the interdisciplinary bridge between ecology, anthropology, and socioeconomics, with a focus on the wildlife economy of the Amazon.
Our work is community-based and community-driven.
How can large mammals be managed sustainably?
Unsustainable hunting is a threat to tropical vertebrates, but hunting remains an essential part of food security, culture, and livelihoods for many rural and Indigenous communities. Sustainable management requires understanding both wildlife populations and the decisions people make across the landscape.
Participatory mapping · hunter interviews · camera trapping · spatial analysis · biodemographic modeling
What are the ecological functions of Amazonian mineral licks?
Mineral licks are small, patchily distributed sites where many Amazonian mammals and birds - including those that are hunted - consume soil. We examine how soils, microbial communities, and habitats shape the visitation of cryptic species at these sites, and what that might mean for their functions in the broader ecosystem.
90+ identified licks · camera traps · soil chemistry · animal behavior · traditional ecological knowledge · eDNA
How does wild meat move from forests to cities?
Wild meat supports rural livelihoods and urban food security, but trade creates different conservation risks among species. We trace informal supply chains and consumer decisions to understand where food, economic, and wildlife-management priorities align—and where they do not.
Market-chain analysis · interviews · consumption surveys · species-specific conservation assessment
Global Data Explorer
Explore research geographically across the Sucusari landscape. Toggle hunter sightings, mineral licks, and camera-trap records, then select a location to examine wildlife visitation, soil chemistry, and other underlying data.
Open the Data ExplorerScholarly record