Senior Lecturer
Principal Researcher
Research Group Leader
PhD
Email
Lab Website
Lab Website
Research Interests:
- Giant otter
Emerging threats to giant otter populations in the Peruvian Amazon
- Trophic webs in Amazon oxbow lakes
Understanding the drivers of freshwater ecosystem productivity
- Ruppell's fox
Movement ecology and interspecific interactions of Ruepell's fox in southern Israel
- Vulnerability of aquatic birds to gold mining and other human activities
The oxbow lakes my team studies in the Peruvian Amazon have several species of birds. We are quantifying the diversity and abundance of these birds in both protected and disturbed lakes to test the hypothesis that gold mining is affecting them. We also plan to capture birds and examine the mercury levels in their blood.
- Rock hyrax
Long-term behavioral ecology research of rock hyraxes in Ein-Gedi, Israel
This is a long-term collaboration including two universities in Israel. In my Master's degree, along with my collaborators, I found out that rock hyraxes that belong social groups with higher equality live longer and that male rock hyraxes tend to vocalize in response to pup screams.
- River otter
Social behavior and population ecology of coastal Alaska river otters
River otters in coastal Alaska are sensitive to changes in fish availability. They also have a complex social system with frequent changes in group composition and scent communication in latrines. I started studying these aspects of river otter ecology during my Ph.D. with the University of Wyoming.
I study the ecology and behavior of wild animals, especially mammals. I focus on freshwater ecosystems, leading a giant otter conservation project in the Peruvian Amazon and, as part of the Hula Valley Research Center, studies on nutrient dynamics and mammal communities in northern Israel.
Scientific Publications
Giant otter populations persist and demonstrate recovery potential in suboptimal freshwater ecosystems degraded by gold mining
Ecological Indicators
2025
Intensity of local artisanal gold mining drives mercury accumulation in neotropical oxbow lake fishes
Science of the Total Environment, 2023, vol. 886, p 164024.
2023
Protected areas maintain neotropical freshwater bird biodiversity in the face of human activity
Ecological Indicators, 2023, 150, 110256
2023
Disturbance‐specific behavioral responses of giant otters exposed to ecotourism and extractive activities
Animal Conservation 25: 15-26.
2022
High-resolution drone imagery reveals drivers of fine-scale giant otter habitat selection in the land-water interface
Conservation Science and Practice e12786.
2022
Ruppell’s fox movement and spatial behavior are influenced by topography and human activity
Biodiversity and Conservation 31: 1345-1357.
2022