About This Project

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Full disclosure: This project is partially funded already by two other sources.
Firstly, I am the winner of the 2013 Earthwatch Neville Shulman Award for Emerging Environmental Leaders. Secondly, I have put up $3,500 of my own money to see this project through.

That being said, this project is focused on the following goals:

1. Additional training for me as a herpetologist. I am "self made", but Earthwatch saw fit to provide me with the opportunity for additional professional development.

2. To directly assist in the conservation efforts of neo-tropical snakes (La MICA, Panama), Atelopus frogs (Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, Panama), American crocodiles (American Crocodile Education Sanctuary, Belize), Utila Island Iguana (Utila Island Iguana Sanctuary, Honduras), and the Titicaca Water Frog (Bolivian Amphibian Initiative, Bolivia).

3. Conduct ethnoherpetological interviews with traditional and indigenous peoples in the vicinity of each of the above organizations to (a) record any beliefs about reptiles and amphibians (legends, uses, etc) and (b) so that they can be incorporated into conservation decisions without feeling that their rights have been infringed upon.

What is the significance of this project?

Each of these organizations are working directly with animals listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered by the IUCN. While facing such obvious threats such as climate change and habitat loss, there have been instances where conservationists have clashed with local people who feel (correctly or not) that their needs, rights, and beliefs have been infringed upon. The most extreme example of this is the ACES crocodile sanctuary in Belize, which recently rebuilt after being burned to the ground by Maya arsonists .

I feel that that outreach that is oriented toward the understanding of traditional and indigenous beliefs (such as encouraging the sharing of beliefs regarding the animals of concern, as well as the respect of said beliefs) is imperative to engaging the local community as allies in conservation efforts throughout Latin America. It is my goal that these interviews will be utilized by the conservation organizations I am working at in future public outreach programs.

What are the goals of the project?

The funds will be utilized directly for the Belize/American Crocodile aspect of my project. In spite of the generous grant from Earthwatch and my own monetary contributions, the costs associated with this aspect of my project are more than what I originally thought they would be.

Budget

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This budget is for the Belize portion of my research, which will last from July 3rd, 2013 to Sept 3rd, 2013. The budget will be utilized solely for costs associated with my training at ACES and the costs associated with my interviews with the local Maya people.

Meet the Team

Norman Greenhawk

Herpetologist at Tropic Ventures Research and Education Foundation; Co-Principal Investigator for Earthwatch

Affiliates

Undergraduate Degree in Environmental Studies at Washington College, Class of 2003

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Team Bio

Since November 2008, I have served as the staff herpetologist for Tropic Ventures Education and Research Foundation, the non-profit organization that conducts scientific research at Las Casas de la Selva, a privately owned 1,000 acre sustainable forestry project and nature preserve in Patillas, Puerto Rico. The aim of the project is the demonstrate that second-growth forests have the potential to be managed for timber using techniques that do not deplete the resource base, thereby providing economic development in rural areas of the tropics while at the same time alleviating pressure to cut old-growth rainforest. My studies focused on general herpetological surveys, anole seasonal abundance, and leaf-litter surveys. I believe in the philosophy of “live in the Biome you study", which is one reason I moved to the tropics.

I approach issues in reptile and amphibian conservation from a multidisciplinary viewpoint. The point of any conservation program should be to help maintain not only target species, but as much of the biodiversity of an area as possible. I also believe that any conservation project needs to make itself “fit” into the local culture and economy as much as possible- you can save all the snakes, frogs, and lizards you want, but if the issue that endangered them in the first place is not addressed, be it habitat loss via unplanned development, poaching due to lack of economic opportunities, climate change, or just plain superstitious fear, then the program will be for naught. This has led me to develop an interest in Ethnoherpetology, how various cultures around the world view, and therefore relate to, reptiles and amphibians.