Dr E Bersacola (they/she)

My research focuses on understanding the dynamics of human-wildlife coexistence within complex socio-ecological systems, exploring the interconnections among environmental, wildlife, and human dimensions.

Since 2015 I have worked in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, where I co-direct the Cantanhez Chimpanzee Project (https://cantanhezchimpanzeeproject.com/) with Dr Kim Hockings. In my research I focus on combining landscape-scale ecological monitoring with participatory social sciences techniques to uncover feedback processes impacting human-chimpanzee coexistence states. I collaborate with local communities and institutional stakeholders to help bridge local knowledge, scientific research and conservation practice and co-develop initiatives to increase coexistence resilience.

I am a member of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group – Section on Human-Primate Interactions (Primates in Agro-forests Working Group). Along with Aissa Regalla de Barros (Director of IBAP), I am serving as the Guinea-Bissau representative in the Committee for the implementation of the Western Chimpanzee Regional Action Plan 2020-2030. I have contributed to IUCN Red List assessments and three conservation action plans. 

I am currently Darwin Research Fellow for Darwin Initiative project Fostering human-wildlife coexistence in a biodiversity hotspot in southern Guinea-Bissau (https://www.biodiversitychallengefunds.org.uk/project/DAR31009)