This month, we’re looking forward to talking with special guest speakers Jenna Stacy-Dawes and Fred Bercovitch.
JENNA STACY-DAWES serves San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance as a Researcher in Population Sustainability. Her research focuses on using socio-ecological methods to further understand and conserve reticulated giraffe populations in Kenya alongside a local research team, the Twiga Walinzi.
With her background in community-based conservation, spatial ecology, and geographic information systems, she is helping develop study methods for monitoring giraffe populations in northern Kenya. Jenna’s primary focus is coordinating and managing the day-to-day operations of the Twiga Walinzi Initiative in northern Kenya as well as designing and implementing research methods to better understand and conserve these endangered populations.
Jenna earned her bachelor’s degree in Zoology from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, her master’s degree in Biology through the University of Miami’s Advanced Inquiry Program, and a master’s degree in Environmental Geographic Information Science through Unity College. Jenna also serves as a member of the IUCN SSC Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group.
FRED BERCOVITCH is a comparative wildlife biologist, who has studied animal behavior, ecology, genetics, physiology, conservation, anatomy, and evolution. He earned his Ph.D. from UCLA based upon a two-year study of the reproductive behavior of baboons in Kenya. He studied giraffes at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, as well as in Zambia, Tanzania, and South Africa. In addition to studying baboons and giraffes in the wild, he has studied African elephants in Botswana, koalas in Australia, snow monkeys in Japan, and rhesus monkeys in Puerto Rico. When not working, Fred thrives on hiking, backpacking, traveling, reading, sports, politics, and the news.
As well, JGC member, CLARE, will challenge us on our giraffe facts with a Quizziz and JGC member, AGLAIA, will fill us in on giraffe news.
Join us on Saturday, May 13th @ 11am (EDT)!