Paola Bouley joined the Global Change and Wildlife Ecology lab of Dr. Chris Wilmers this year to pursue her PhD.
Bouley directs Projecto Leoes da Gorongosa (the Gorongosa Lion Project) which is based out of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Laboratory in Gorongosa National Park, Central Mozambique. Very few studies (Singh and Gibson 2011, Wegge et al 2009) have documented the dynamics of wild naturally recovering populations of P. leo in response to large-scale habitat restoration and conservation measures in unfenced ecosystems. Those few studies that have occurred are in India and focused on the endangered Asiatic lion. Paola's work strives to contribute new findings to this important body of restoration science on the African lion while also aiding in the science-based recovery of such an ecologically and economically important species, while also nurturing the next-generation of Mozambique's scientists and conservationists.
