Abstract

From orangutans to helmeted hornbills to flying frogs, Southeast Asia harbors an extraordinarily rich fauna that is gravely threatened by two main forces: deforestation and, increasingly, capture for sale as pets, medicines, trophies, and trinkets. I will discuss how deforestation and the wildlife trade are affecting Southeast Asian biodiversity, with a focus on birds. I will also explore how we can use ecological and economic research to develop effective policies to counteract these threats – in some places, some of the time.

Presenter Profile

David S. Wilcove is a professor of ecology, evolutionary biology, and public affairs at Princeton University. The primary question driving his research is “How do we find room for biodiversity in an increasingly hot, hungry, and crowded world?” Accordingly, his work focuses on the impacts of farming, logging, hunting, and other human activities on biodiversity. He and his graduate students and postdocs have studied these issues around the world, from New Zealand to the Amazon Basin and from Siberia to Borneo. Professor Wilcove has received awards from the Society for Conservation Biology, Defenders of Wildlife, the Pew Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, The Wildlife Society, and the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute.