Wildlife and Communities: Partners in Conservation

Gonçalo Jesus is a biologist and anthropologist, currently working as a researcher at CIAS, University of Coimbra, and Assistant Professor at  Universidade Lusófona. He specializes in exploring how wildlife, particularly non-human primates, adapts to environments altered by human activities. His research seeks to understand human-wildlife interactions and address conservation challenges by integrating insights from multiple disciplines. Gonçalo's work began with a PhD at University College London, focusing on the socioecology of baboons and chimpanzees in Nigeria's Gashaka Gumti National Park. Currently, he studies the dynamics and impacts of introduced guenons on the African islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, as well as the effects of free roaming cat populations on biodiversity and communities in Portugal and other insular habitats. He is also interested in the evolution and flexibility of primate sexual behavior and its implications for understanding human evolution. Beyond academia, Gonçalo collaborates with contemporary artists to explore the connections between art and science, aiming to engage broader audiences and inspire new dialogues about conservation.