Mariana Labão Catapani

I am an interdisciplinary conservationist who has been
working as a conservation practictioner for the last fifteen years in Brazil. My background is in the Natural Sciences – most of my previous research involved studying the biology of endangered animal species, especially anteaters. But realizing that virtually all threats to these species stem from human behaviour, I became more interested in understanding what drives behaviours that threaten wildlife. Most of these behaviours occur due to some adverse effect of wildlife – either real or perceived – on people, thus I have become particularly interested in the use of social science tools that can enable us to better understand and promote more harmonious coexistence between people and wildlife. 

During my PhD at University of São Paulo, I have focused my attention on understanding two negative interactions between people and giant anteaters: vehicular collisions and persecution motivated by superstition. Spending time with ConHuB group has given me the opportunity to share research ideas and learn novel approaches on conservation-related behaviours, bringing important insights for ongoing and future projects. 

Follow this link to read about the giant anteater project.