Fighting for Brazil’s Stolen Species | National Geographic

the first time I took partner rate I was
so full of adrenaline and so full of
energy that it was more exciting than
scary because I believe I was doing
something important my work and mission
is to combat wildlife trafficking in
Brazil we have different kinds of
wildlife trafficking all kinds could be
withdrawing from nature over 38 million
animals 99% of the times the conditions
of the birds that we find in seizures
are very far from what we would consider
the minimum acceptable he has all the
evidences of violations of animal
welfare as well as collecting animals
with the cage over there the only way we
can do an effective work
if we collaborate the people who are in
the front lines of this combat are law
enforcement agents they know who is
working they are the ones acting they
are the ones with their hands on
there is also the scientific work that
began with my PhD with my advisor in
which I analyzed population genetic
issues for wild bird species that are
severely exploited by the illegal trade
if I have a shipment of birds that was
seized in some Paulo depending on the
database that I have for comparison we
can use genetics to infer the most
likely population of origin of this
shipment or of individuals not only to
find exploitation hotspots but should
send them back to the correct place as
well
losing populations or species could
bring unbalance into entire ecosystems
we have to be doing this work and we
have to change the situation before it’s
too late we’re missing is this
connection with the wild which is
remembering that we’re part of nature in
the ecosystem not something separate
only by bringing together people from
multiple disciplines and multiple
backgrounds and during true
collaborative efforts we can end our
life trafficking and I think we can do
it I think we are doing it