Born in Curitiba, she moved as a child to Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State where she had her first contact with wildlife. In her teens she worked for several years as a volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation center, where she discovered her vocation. Flávia’s main interest are Cingulata and Pilosa (Xenarthra), especially anteaters, and her work focus on the ecology and conservation medicine of these taxa, including both in situ and ex situ conservation.
Education: An undergraduate in veterinary medicine, she was the first intern in medical practice and wildlife management at Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo (FPZSP). Postgraduation in Biology at Universidade de Lavras, certificate in wildlife management from Universidade de Tolima, Colombia.
MSc in Ecology by the Universidade de São Paulo (USP) with the thesis “Research of antibodies against bacteria of genera Brucella spp, Leptospira spp, Chlamydophila spp in giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Linnaeus, 1758) from RPPN SESC Pantanal, Serra da Canastra National Park and Emas National Park”. Research grants and academic prizes include IUCN Edentate, SESC Pantanal, Fundação O Boticário de Proteção à Natureza, and Jovem Pesquisadora Prize at the IV International Seminar of Animal Welfare.
Work experience: For three years Flávia taught postgraduate classes at Universidade Santo Amaro, São Paulo, on in situ and ex situ management of Xenarthra. She worked as a consultant for the Instituto Florestal de São Paulo in the mammal survey and elaboration of management plans for state parks in São Paulo State. She acted as a member of the board of Associação Brasileira de Veterinários de Animais Selvagens (ABRAVAS).
Today she is responsible for the national studybooks for the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) and the lesser anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla). She is also coordinator of the giant anteater studbook in Latin America kept by the Asociación Latinoamerica de Parques Zoológicos y Acuarios (Alpza). She was recently named Co-Chair of the IUCN/SSC Anteater, Armadillo, Sloth Specialist Group. She also acts as a member of the IUCN/VSG Wildlife Health Specialist Group.
Currently she coordinates the Instituto de Pesquisa e Conservação de Tamanduás no Brasil, where she develops projects with the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) and the silky anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) in Pantanal and Amazonia. Projeto Tamanduá’s mission is to promote the conservation of xenarthrans in Brazil through pure and applied research, scientific collaboration, and training and education programs developed with local communities. Since 2007, Flávia coordinates Wildlife Conservation Society’s Global Health in Brazil, working to implement the concept “One World One Health”.
Contact Us
Wildlife Conservation Society Brazil - WCS Brazil
Rua Jardim Botânico 674/sala 210
Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22461-000 Brazil
Phone/Fax: (+55) (21) 2259-2989
Email: wcsbrasil@wcs.org