Consultancy
12-years experience in Environmental Consultancy (4- years in River Restoration/Dam removal) - I work as freelance consultant for several entities, national and international. Some examples:
Presently, and since July 2021, I work as Freshwater and Dam Removal consultant at WWF Portugal (ANP|WWF):
- Leading the program on the Removal of Obsolete Fluvial Barriers, within the European Initiative Living European Rivers, which led to the removal of the Galaxes weir, the first removal made by an NGO in Portugal (pictures below).
- Securing the funding of 7 DR projects led by ANP|WWF and one EoI for Rewilding Apennines Italy.
- Co-hosted the VIIth edition of the Dam Removal Europe International Seminar (pictures below).
- Bringing creative contents for Environmental Education and Advocacy for Healthy Rivers (see Outreach, EA & Teaching).
Recently, I've been hired by the University of Trás-os-Montes for Iberian Desman sampling & live-trapping in the Tâmega River Basin (Portugal).
I've been consulting the Wildlife Conservation Trust to train local researchers on otter ecology, trapping and tagging, for a project aimed at investigating the ecology and biogeography of a population of Eurasian otters recently discovered in Central India.
Likewise, I was hired as consultant by the Malaysian Nature Society (Malaysia) to train local researchers on otter trapping and tagging.
I've also been worked as Data Analyst to perform Simulations of Elk Data for Prof Adam Ford of British Columbia University.
My expertise as carnivore researcher was early recognized, e.g., by the Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas (ICNF), which firstly came to Évora to learn about the trap-alarms I was using for otter trapping and then made me scientific supervisor of a project aiming to release orphaned otter cubs into the wild involving ICNF, Zoomarine and Évora University. Later, I've provided consultancy for a similar project in Italy, which was also aiming at releasing an orphaned otter cub into the wild and monitor it using GPS-telemetry.
DAM REMOVAL CONSULTANCY - WWF Portugal
The results of two year of efforts and passion: the removal of the Galaxes weir, the first removal made by an NGO in Portugal , funded by the European Open Rivers Programme, within the program on the Removal of Obsolete Fluvial Barriers of the ANP|WWF, which in turn is enclosed in the European Living European Rivers Initiative.
A picture of Google Maps that fixed the removal of the Galaxes weir forever!
The removal restored the connectivity of 7.7 km of river, in turn enhancing habitat and movements for the 'Saramugo' (Anaecypris hispanica), the most endangered non-migratory fish species in Portuguese freshwaters, other native fish species, as well as iconic mammals, such as the Iberian lynx and the otter. The Saramugo is endemic to the Guadiana River basin and is the only living member of the genus Anaecypris.
Visit to the Perofilho weir, the second removal from ANP|WWF, planned for september 2024. Perofilho, Santarém, Portugal.
Working to remove river barriers in Portugal is very hard, because most people think that dams and weirs are useful to retain water locally and therefore help combat droughts...
...To achieve this task, I try to be cretive, persistent and never loose motivation, breaking mental, before than physical, barriers 🧠 🧱🔨💥💦🐟🦦
VIIth edition of the Dam Removal Europe International Seminar, that we (ANP|WWF) co-hosted together with World Fish Migration Foundation, Wetlands International, Dam Removal Europe and The Nature Conservancy. Lisbon, May 2022.
One of the many fun moments, usual in the Dam Removal Europe conferences :)
CONSULTANCY in MALAYSIA
Consultancy for the Malaysian Nature Society to train local researchers on otter trapping and GPS-tagging. Here during a post-mortem analysis of a Hairy-Nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) - Kuala Selangor, Malaysia, November 2023.
Above during a trapping training session for the Malaysian Nature Society and below during a demonstration of surgical implantation of a radio-transmitter in a sedated Asian Small-Clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) - Kuala Selangor, Malaysia, November 2023.
CONSULTANCY in INDIA
Consultancy for the Wildlife Conservation Trust to train local researchers on otter ecology and GPS-tag Eurasian otters (recently detected in Central India) - Nagpur, India, November 2019.
My first tiger paw! - Satpura Tiger Reserve, Pachmahri, Madya Pradesh, India, December 2019.