Ecologist Sees Rain Forest Through Villagers’ Eyes | National Geographic

the first time that I went out with a

the first time that I went out with a group of hunters to look for lemurs I

group of hunters to look for lemurs I

group of hunters to look for lemurs I can remember seeing this beautiful white

can remember seeing this beautiful white

can remember seeing this beautiful white fronted brown lemur hanging by its neck

fronted brown lemur hanging by its neck

fronted brown lemur hanging by its neck in a noose I just remember this profound

in a noose I just remember this profound

in a noose I just remember this profound sadness that I had seeing this deadly

sadness that I had seeing this deadly

sadness that I had seeing this deadly mer hanging there and just really

mer hanging there and just really

mer hanging there and just really questioning whether this was the right

questioning whether this was the right

questioning whether this was the right research for me between the time I was 9

research for me between the time I was 9

research for me between the time I was 9 and 16 I just read everything I could

and 16 I just read everything I could

and 16 I just read everything I could get my hands on about Madagascar was so

get my hands on about Madagascar was so

get my hands on about Madagascar was so exotic it was so different

exotic it was so different

exotic it was so different the first time that I stepped foot in

the first time that I stepped foot in

the first time that I stepped foot in Madagascar it really felt like the

Madagascar it really felt like the

Madagascar it really felt like the culmination of everything as I came back

culmination of everything as I came back

culmination of everything as I came back again and again and again I realized

again and again and again I realized

again and again and again I realized that that first moment wasn’t the end of

that that first moment wasn’t the end of

that that first moment wasn’t the end of something in my childhood that was a

something in my childhood that was a

something in my childhood that was a fleeting moment of interest it really

fleeting moment of interest it really

fleeting moment of interest it really was the beginning of his lifelong career

was the beginning of his lifelong career

was the beginning of his lifelong career Hyundai Alex I’m an ecologist and an

Hyundai Alex I’m an ecologist and an

Hyundai Alex I’m an ecologist and an epidemiologist

broad umbrella of my research is looking

broad umbrella of my research is looking at the ways in which the environment

at the ways in which the environment

at the ways in which the environment affects human health I’ve spent time in

affects human health I’ve spent time in

affects human health I’ve spent time in these communities and really found these

these communities and really found these

these communities and really found these incredibly tremendous friends and so I

incredibly tremendous friends and so I

incredibly tremendous friends and so I began seeing the forest through their

began seeing the forest through their

began seeing the forest through their eyes this forest is their supermarket

eyes this forest is their supermarket

eyes this forest is their supermarket their pharmacy their hardware store at a

their pharmacy their hardware store at a

their pharmacy their hardware store at a church it’s really everything to them

church it’s really everything to them

church it’s really everything to them you feel humbled in their presence with

you feel humbled in their presence with

you feel humbled in their presence with the knowledge that they have of the

the knowledge that they have of the

the knowledge that they have of the forest the bushmeat issue from a

forest the bushmeat issue from a

forest the bushmeat issue from a conservation perspective is actually

conservation perspective is actually

conservation perspective is actually quite simple hunting wildlife can really

quite simple hunting wildlife can really

quite simple hunting wildlife can really perpetuate endangerment for a public

perpetuate endangerment for a public

perpetuate endangerment for a public health perspective it’s far more

health perspective it’s far more

health perspective it’s far more complicated there are benefits to bush

complicated there are benefits to bush

complicated there are benefits to bush meat consumption like improving local

meat consumption like improving local

meat consumption like improving local nutrition but there’s also tremendous

nutrition but there’s also tremendous

nutrition but there’s also tremendous risk from things like zoonotic diseases

risk from things like zoonotic diseases

risk from things like zoonotic diseases or intestinal parasites

or intestinal parasites

or intestinal parasites I really do believe in conservation I

I really do believe in conservation I

I really do believe in conservation I really do believe in protecting

really do believe in protecting

really do believe in protecting biodiversity and yet if I had to make

biodiversity and yet if I had to make

biodiversity and yet if I had to make the same decisions that they are making

the same decisions that they are making

the same decisions that they are making whether or not to save an abstract

whether or not to save an abstract

whether or not to save an abstract concept of biodiversity or to provide

concept of biodiversity or to provide

concept of biodiversity or to provide food for my family and absolutely be

food for my family and absolutely be

food for my family and absolutely be making the same decisions

when people ask me about my

when people ask me about my conservationist it’s almost difficult

conservationist it’s almost difficult

conservationist it’s almost difficult thing to answer because I also believe

thing to answer because I also believe

thing to answer because I also believe in the needs of local people I

in the needs of local people I

in the needs of local people I understand that there is a balance we

understand that there is a balance we

understand that there is a balance we need to strike answering that question

need to strike answering that question

need to strike answering that question is often a choice between the two

is often a choice between the two

is often a choice between the two and yet I refuse to make that choice