Featured – TINA CHIARELLI, PHD, FRGS

Biomarkers of Reproductive Health in Wildlife and Techniques for their Assessment

August 9th, 2024tinalc0 Comments

One of the coolest things I get to do is serve as a Board Member and Treasurer for the International Society of Wildlife Endocrinology (ISWE). I’ve been a member since the group’s inception in 2010. At the time, I was a Doctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute working under the mentorship of elephant expert and reproductive physiologist, Dr. Janine Brown. I was lucky enough to attend the brainstorming meeting that brought together the world’s best wildlife endocrinologists. It should be noted, I was not one of them. Nevertheless, from that incredible gathering, ISWE was born. After more than …

You Never Forget Your First ECAD

July 3rd, 2024tinalc0 Comments

It all began in early 2022 when a good friend and fellow WKPP exploration cave diver asked me if I was a member of the world-renowned Explorers Club. He noticed I frequently comment on the groups social media posts and was a regular attendee of their monthly talks livestreamed to the masses via YouTube. My response “I wish.” Matt was shocked. He reminded me of my diving credentials, research expeditions around the world, and publications, stating, “… We need to fix that.” Within the next few weeks, I found myself filling out the application. I had hoped for admittance at …

Conservation Challenges in the Wake of a Global Pandemic

January 28th, 2023tinalc0 Comments

This past year, I got the opportunity to interview some incredible conservation organizations regarding their work before, during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic. During such trying times, they continued to support wildlife and communities in range countries despite new challenges. You can read the article in its entirety at JEMA 2022v33i3.

Botswana’s Mass Elephant Die-Off

January 28th, 2023tinalc0 Comments

“In March 2020, at the beginning of a global pandemic, elephant carcasses were found in the Ngamiland district of northern Botswana. Within three months from the initial report, helicopter-based surveys counted a total of 350 dead elephants. Carcasses of males and females were found by themselves with 70% near water. In some cases, it was as though the animal was walking and just collapsed. Locals would state that some elephants were observed walking in circles with extremely low body condition before death. Due to Covid-related travel restrictions, carcasses were not thoroughly examined, and tissue samples not collected; thus, a causative …

Featured: Members on the Move for Conservation

January 28th, 2023tinalc0 Comments

As promised, I am starting to update my website. To say that, since 2020, life has thrown it’s very best and worst at us would be a huge understatement. One of my grounding points has always been my work with elephants. Thankfully, they continue to be a guiding light. I was delighted to be interviewed by Gray Matters for their Members on the Move for Conservation” segment. “An interview with EMA Conservation Committee member Tina Dow, PhD. – This year, the Conservation Committee is highlighting EMA members that are making a difference for elephant conservation. For this issue of Gray …

A Hopeful New Year for the Florida Manatee

January 21st, 2019tinalc0 Comments

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of sharing space with a manatee while cave diving. No, it wasn’t in the cave. The manatee was enjoying the constant 72 F spring water to warm up during the chilly day. I, on the other hand, was using the run to get to and from the Devil’s Cave system at Ginnie Springs. This isn’t the first time I have had the opportunity to observe these magnificent creatures in their underwater world. Earlier in 2018, I snorkeled with manatees in the Crystal River. Yet another perk of living in Florida. Regardless, their …

The Manatees Return

January 6th, 2017tinalc0 Comments

As winter descends on the Northern hemisphere, the costal waters surrounding Florida begin to cool. Warm waters that see temperatures in the low 80s for most of the year drop to the mid 60s and below. For the West Indian manatee, or manatee for short, sustained water temperatures of 65° F and below can be incompatible with life. Luckily for these underwater mega-herbivores Florida is home to several freshwater springs that maintain a constant temperature of 70-72°F year-round. Estuaries and rivers leading from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean give easy passage to these winter havens. …

Rhesus Macaques of Central Florida

August 20th, 2016tinalc0 Comments

In 1932, film director, W.S. Van Dyke, and crew descended upon the Silver River in Central Florida to film a Hollywood blockbuster. Tarzan the Ape Man would do just that, making more than $2.5 million worldwide. In comparison to today’s film industry, that would be a hit! Capitalizing on the film’s success, local tour boat operator, Colonel Tooey, devised a plan to purchase several exotic species including Rhesus macaques to keep near the banks of the river. He would offer a five-mile “Jungle Cruise” from the river’s mouth up to the headwaters of Silver Springs. His idea was to place …

Sea Turtle Nesting: A Race Against Time

July 29th, 2016tinalc0 Comments

Florida’s Atlantic Coast is currently a hotbed of activity for Sea turtle propagation. From early May to September, several species of Sea turtle seek out the coastline as a prime nesting location. During each season thousands of Loggerhead, Green Sea, and Leatherback turtles make their way to land by the light of the moon to lay their eggs in the warm sand. With any luck, in 50-60 days, the next generation will be on their journey into the deep blue. Ancient sea turtles first appeared in the coastal waters of Pangea over 240 million years ago during the …

A New Year of Hope for Wildlife Conservation

January 1st, 2016tinalc0 Comments

Another year has come and gone. Like those years preceding, 2015 has witnessed both heartbreak and achievements in conservation. As we reflect back, it is important to find the positive in the saddest of situations, learn from them, and apply the knowledge gained to help in the new year. The death of the King of Hwange, Cecil, brought trophy hunter to center stage. Through his tragic end, Cecil became a voice for Lions. Not only did the world listen they too spoke out asking how and why this could have happened. Demanding justice. In response, the United States listed one …