ZAKHER BOURAGAOUI
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Sound Forest Lab ~ University of Wisconsin Madison.
Vice-President & Co-Founder ~ Tunisian Association for Wildlife.
As a lifelong student of the natural world, I have explored the wonders of the earth as an ecologist, naturalist, and intrepid explorer. My passion for the intricate relationships between species and their environment began early in my career as an evolutionary ecologist in North Africa, where I delved deeply into the ecology and biology of reptiles.
My studies led me to the remarkable Tunisian islands, where I spent countless hours observing and documenting the fascinating behavior of these scaly creatures, including an endemic subspecies of lacertid lizard. Through these endeavors, I not only expanded my knowledge of these unique creatures but also contributed to important research on avian and invertebrate life.
As a co-founder of the Tunisian Association for Wildlife, a dynamic NGO dedicated to protecting the rich biodiversity of this extraordinary land, I am committed to ensuring the conservation of its remarkable flora and fauna. Additionally, as a member of Exploralis, an organization devoted to surveying and safeguarding Tunisia's precious natural resources, I am proud to be part of a dedicated team of professionals working tirelessly to preserve the wonders of this magical place for future generations to enjoy.
~ Research Interest
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Bioacoustics
Investigating biodiversity using acoustic indices and sounds.
Insular Ecology
My work in the Tunisian islands doesn't only concern reptiles and amphibians but also their biodiversity in general. Tunisia dispose of over 50 small islands few of them are big enough to support a biodiversity worth studying. This islets still very poorly understood and investigated.
Evolutionary Ecology of Lacertid Lizards
I investigated the biology and ecology of lacertid lizards using various procedures from skeletochronology to species distribution modeling (SDM).
Taxonomy of Invertebrates in North Africa
Invertebrates are one of the main focus of our research with the Tunisian Association for Wildlife. The biodiversity and taxonomy of groups such as Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Heteroptera in North Africa still unknown. TAW members keens and interests in investigating this abandoned groups and my role is to support them in papers and short notes. few of them published in a collaboration with the entomologist Wael Ben Aba.