Francisco Álvares
Post-Doc Researcher
I am a postdoctoral researcher at CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (University of Porto, Portugal). During my PhD (University of Lisbon, 2012) I investigated the ecology and conservation of the Iberian wolf in Northwest Portugal. During the last twenty years my research interests have been focused on the ecology, conservation and management of large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes using as model species the wolf in Iberian Peninsula. In this context I have been involved in several advisory activities related to wolf management and conservation both in Portugal and Spain as well as to the European Commission. My current research focuses on a wide range of wildlife-human interactions related to large carnivores, such as livestock depredation, behavioural responses to human infrastructures and ethno-biology related to beliefs and practices of local communities toward wildlife. During the last years, I also participated in several research projects in countries of Europe, Asia and mostly Africa (e.g. Croatia, Iran, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Niger, Guinea-Bissau, Angola) aiming population assessments of terrestrial vertebrates focused mostly on wild canids, such as foxes, golden jackals, African golden wolves and African wild dogs. I have participated in 50 projects related to wildlife ecology and management and published over 40 scientific papers on books and peer-review journals, 24 of them in indexed journals. I also promote the divulgation of my scientific research through broad-audience channels such as public presentations and popular science articles. Currently, Since 2016 I´m also an external collaborator at Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Porto (MHNC-UP), as responsible for the Mammal collections. I´m member of the Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe, an IUCN Specialist Group and the Iberian Wolf Research Team.