Spatially-explicit models are becoming increasingly important. I investigate ways to integrate field data (demography, occurrence, and movement) with remote sensing, to assist conservation and management efforts of two recolonizing species: American black bear (Ursus americanus) and cougar (Puma concolor), and a recovered species: Gray wolf (Canis lupus). This work entails mapping occurrence, movement, distribution, and landscape connectivity (corridors and barriers) in areas of recovery and range expansion. I also investigate best practices to use public gathered data, such as public sightings, community science, or hunter logs, to map wildlife distributions and connectivity, including common problems and ways to minimize biased results.

I investigate multiple aspects of carnivore ecology with a focus on North and South American species (e.g. bears, cougars, wolves, coyotes, red foxes, Geoffroy's cats, ocelots, jaguars, etc.), from local scale to species range. I use quantitative methods related to statistical, simulation, and analytical modeling to explore wildlife population dynamics, occurrence, and behavior, such as risk avoidance, space use, and activity patterns, including how they are affected by humans and among each other. In addition, I focus on what processes influence species mortality at large scales, and the potential of different human activities and land transformation to alter population trajectories of established and recolonizing populations.

I investigate coexistence between humans and wildlife, particularly large carnivores, looking at causes and trends of conflicts, mapping current and future conflict hot-spots, and identifying key areas for education and outreach. For example, I quantify how individual characteristics influence the propensity to interact with human settlements or what landscape traits influence the probability of an urban area to have conflict/ with wildlife.

The advance of livestock production on areas inhabited by jaguars has historically generated an ongoing conflict with ranchers due to livestock depredation. The answer to this is typically the killing of jaguars, which has resulted in their extirpation from much of their range in Argentina. Through this program, we seek to find alternatives to facilitate coexistence, such as electrified fences. Learn more here.

I developed a social media science communication project focused on all 28 species of Order Carnivora (canids, felids, bear, otters, skunks, weasels, etc.) that occur in southern South America, using #southerncarnivore. Click here to learn more.

Exotic species introductions are a global phenomenon and protected areas are susceptible to them. We analyzed the influence of coarse resolution factors on exotic species richness (plants, mammals, and birds) in Argentina’s National Parks System. We compiled 1,688 exotic records in 36 protected areas: 83% plants and 17% animals (9.5% mammals, 5.5% birds, 1.5% fishes, 0% amphibians, 0% reptiles).

This project focused on the effects of land use, such as forestry and pastures, on both native and exotic large and medium-sized mammal species on a multiple use protected area ("El Destino Reserve") on coastal Buenos Aires, Argentina. The native mammal community included Pampas fox, Geoffroys cat, capybara, long-nosed armadillo, Molina's hog-nosed skunk, and white-eared opossum.

Within the Avian Ecology and Behavior Lab, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, I studied the reproductive ecology and behavior of grassland and woodland birds in central Buenos Aires, including nest monitoring, cooperative breeding, and nest parasitism by two species, the generalist shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) and the specialist screaming cowbird (Molothrus rufoaxillaris).

This project focused on the ecology and distribution of invasive mammals, such as wild boar (Sus scrofa) and European hare (Lepus europaeus), and native medium-sized carnivores, such as Geoffroy's cat (Leopardus geoffroyi) and culpeo fox (Pseudalopex culpaeus) in a Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentinian Patagonia. I investigated the effect of non-native prey on native carnivore occurrence and activity, as well as the impact of human disturbance on this community.

In collaboration with member of the IUCN Small Carnivore Group and other researchers, we compiled all available information on small carnivore introductions around the world. We identified 216 introduction events of 22 species from five families, most involving the northern raccoon, Procyon lotor, the American mink, Neovison vison, and the small Indian mongoose, Urva auropunctata. This book chapter will be part of "Small Carnivores: Evolution, Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation" to be released early 2022.