Diego Juárez Sánchez

Diego Juárez Sánchez, MS

I am interested in predators and how they can shape the environment. My research has been mainly focused on carnivores, but now I am mostly interested in large freshwater predators independently of their taxon. Invasive species give us the opportunity to test some of the assumptions that we think predators play shaping the environment, either by preying on natives or as prey by native predators. My research currently focuses on native Guatemalan freshwater predators feeding on invasive fish in Northern Guatemala and invasive Burmese pythons preying on native fauna in southern Florida.

Research Interests

Otters, predator-prey interactions, trophic cascades, freshwater ecology, invasion ecology and wildlife conservation.

Education

MS Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida

Lic. in Biology from the University of San Carlos of Guatemala

About Me

I grew up in rural Guatemala at my parent's farm and since I was little my dad taught me to observe and appreciate nature, as an adult the exploration of the wilderness has become my passion. As I grew up my interest in nature became an interest in understanding the processes that shape it. I have seen how the wilderness of my youth is being destroyed to give space to urbanization, industrial agriculture and cattle ranching. This process endangers not only the wildlife but also the traditions and identities of local inhabitants. I have become a conservationist but I know that in order to actually have a positive and sustainable impact I need to use scientific basis. I did my biology undergrad at the historic Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC).

After graduating from USAC I worked in different NGOs and research institutes in Guatemala (WCS, ONCA, CECON, Tikal National Park) mainly working with carnivores. I realized that in order to improve my ability to generate information useful for conservation I needed to learn more. I got a Fulbright fellowship to study my masters at UF. At UF I met Dr. Christina Romagosa and when my Fulbright program ended she offered me a job working in her Burmese python project continuing Eric Suarez's (MS WEC) work.