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Introduction
Alejandro is a leading voice on the role of zoos in the face of pressing global environmental concerns. He focuses on conserving wildlife, public engagement in conservation and science education. He is the President and CEO of the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.
Current institution
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May 2016 - present
April 1998 - February 2005
March 2005 - May 2016
Publications
Publications (63)
Conservation Psychology created a dialog between environmental conservation and behavioral sciences. With an outsized influence by Dr. Carol Saunders, it started at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago exploring questions about the impacts of a zoo visit, and particularly how human behavior influences environmental outcomes for our planet. Here we explore how...
Decolonizing zoo exhibits is in its infancy. Yet the need is urgent in view of new paradigms for inclusive conservation messages. Here I share a short essay on the initial steps to address some colonial views in one of our zoo exhibits
The global biodiversity crisis requires an engaged citizenry that provides collective support for public policies and recognizes the consequences of personal consumption decisions. Understanding the factors that affect personal engagement in proenvironmental behaviors is essential for the development of actionable conservation solutions. Zoos and a...
Existe una diferencia sustancial entre la evidencia científica sobre el cambio climático antropogénico y las respuestas humanas hacia esta evidencia. Las percepciones y respuestas al cambio climático difieren entre regiones del mundo y también dentro de cada país. Por lo tanto, la información sobre las actitudes y percepciones sobre el cambio climá...
There is a substantial gap between the scientific evidence for anthropogenic climate change and the human response to this evidence. Perceptions of and responses to climate change can differ among regions of the world, as well as within countries. Therefore, information about the public's attitudes and perceptions related to climate change is essen...
Por décadas, la composición de las instituciones, acciones y programas de conservación de la biodiversidad han sido definidas dentro de una dicotomía entre las estrategias de conservación in situ y ex situ. Todavía hoy, muchos consideran estas dos disciplinas como fundamentalmente diferentes. Los términos insinúan filosofías y convicciones diferent...
Towards a Strategic Framework for Comprehensive Conservation Capacity Development
Climate literacy education can occur in a variety of formal and informal learning settings across an individual's life span. There is increasing recognition that informal learning settings such as zoos and aquariums have an opportunity to greatly contribute to individuals' science learning. Here we present the results of a large-scale survey study...
Societal response to climate change has been inadequate. A perception that the issue is both physically and temporally remote may reduce concern; concern may also be affected by the political polarization surrounding the issue in the USA. A feeling of connection to nature or to animals may increase personal relevance, and a supportive social contex...
Science museums, science centers, zoos, and aquariums (MCZAs) constitute major settings of science learning with unique characteristics of informal science education. Emphasis will be given to the analysis of four specific characteristics of MCZAs that seem relevant for educational research and practice, namely, conditions of mixed motives and goal...
The main goal of these guidelines is to help herd managers conserve the wild characteristics of bison through the conservation of the species’ genetic and behavioral traits while at the same time supporting ecosystem function and biodiversity conservation goals on the range the herd inhabits.
Development of human capacity to address global climate change may be supported by strengthening personal connections to nature and conservation outlook. Zoos and aquariums, with their living collections and interpretation facilitators, offer an unparalleled opportunity to contribute to the understanding of public engagement and further human poten...
There is overwhelming scientific agreement that global climate change is occurring and has been accelerated by human activity [11]. To slow the pace of climate change and its impacts, there is an immediate need for people to make informed decisions about actions in their daily lives related to global carbon emissions. Recent analyses indicate that...
The authors investigated the current practices for assessing mission-related learning outcomes at institutions that belong to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in North America. A survey instrument was sent to 207 education directors in order to examine each institution's efforts in conducting audience research and evaluating the impact o...
The Yellow-shouldered Amazon (Amazona barbadensis) is one of the most endangered species of parrots in Venezuela. An integrated conservation program has focused on reversing the causes of parrot population decline on the Macanao Peninsula in Margarita Island. As a result, the parrot population on the island has increased to about 1900 individuals i...
The Hoatzin Opisthocomus hoazin is the only known bird with a well-developed foregut plant fermentation system; most fermentation takes place in the crop and caudal oesophagus. To test Hoatzin digestive efficiency, balance (total collection) trials with captive Hoatzins were made using two experimental diets of different composition and fibre conte...
On this particularly day, the air was crisp as the water trickling between the dark boulders of a mountain creek. We were birdwatching with some Cuban friends and colleagues on the steep road up to the Gran Piedra National Park, in the outskirts of Santiago, Cuba’s second largest city. Leaving behind the already muggy early morning in Santiago, it...
Los llanos es una provincia biogeográfica que cubre sabanas y bosques decíduos en una buena parte del Norte y oeste de la cuenca hidrográfica del río Orinoco en Venezuela y Colombia. En Venezuela, los llanos cubren aproximadamente 253.000 Km2, en los cuales existen tan solo dos parques nacionales y dos refugios de fauna, que suman un total de 1.196...
The reintroduction of parrots can be a population management strategy with for endangered species. Broadly defined, this strategy can be used to reinforce or increase local populations and even for re-establishing a new subpopulation of a locally extinct population. Reintroduction also has its risks. Not all species may be successfully reintroduced...
Recent decades have seen unprecedented growth in the scale and intensity of industrial forestry. Directly and indirectly, it has degraded the wildlife and ecological integrity of these tropical forests, prompting a need to evaluate the impact of current forest management practices and reconsider how best to preserve the integrity of the biosphere....
La Convención Mundial sobre la Diversidad Biológica y sus obligaciones han puesto la conservación de la biodiversidad en la palestra de las relaciones internacionales. Esto ha aumentado las expectativas sobre el valor percibido de los “recursos genéticos” y sobre el potencial de beneficios financieros para la conservación. Esta percepción se ha exp...
The World Convention on Biological Diversity and Its obligations have heightened biodiversity conservation to the forefront of international relations and National policies. Increased expectations of the perceived value of genetic resources and the potential for massive amounts of funds for conservation have created an atmosphere of extended Nation...
El sistema nacional de parques de Venezuela y su importancia; Aspectos teóricos sobre el monitoreo; Diseño de un programa de monitoreo; Ejecución de un programa de monitoreo; Análisis e interpretación; Evaluación del programa de monitoreo; Aplicación de los resultados del programa de monitoreo en el proceso de planificación; Experiencias piloto en...
Foregut fermentation in the Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) appears to be a unique adaptation among birds. Passage rates of liquid and solid digesta were measured in five Hoatzins. Four markers were given to captive birds: Cr-EDTA (a liquid marker), ytterbium (Yb) oxide mordanted on plant fiber particles of 1 mm(2) (solid marker), and 1 mm(2) and 4 m...
The Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) is a unique obligate folivorous bird with a well-developed foregut fermentation system. Its relative gut capacity is equivalent to 9% of the adult body mass (ca. 680 g). The large crop and lower esophagus represent 77% of the total gut capacity. The crop is folded into two interconnected chambers, and the lower eso...
Waxwings fed two types of artificial fruits with equal seed loads but with different seed sizes consumed significantly more of the larger-seeded fruits. Because large seeds were defecated more quickly than small seeds, the increase in fruit consumption indicated that waxwings are process rate limited. Our experiments demonstrate that, for small see...
Large frugivorous forest birds are among the most endangered avian groups in the Neotropics. Despite this fact, there has been little field work on members of these groups or on other large Neotropical forest birds. While current studies of Neotropical forests are beginning to provide data for reserve management at the ecosystem level, we lack info...
The dispersion of nests and the migratory movements of female iguanas, Iguana iguana, were examined in the central llanos of Venezuela. In an area of extensive sandy soil, nests were dispersed, while at two other sites, where soft soil was scarce, the iguana nests were aggregated in small (<25 m dia.) sandy patches. Four radiotelemetered females us...
The only known case of an avian digestive system with active foregut fermentation is reported for the hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin), one of the world's few obligate folivorous (leaf-eating) birds. Hoatzins are one of the smallest endotherms with this form
of digestion. Foregut fermentation in a flying bird may be explained by increased digestive ef...
Vita. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Florida, 1991. Includes bibliographical references. Photocopy.
A la cabeza del título: Proyecto CENDES-INCE
