A native of Mexico, Wezddy Del Toro Orozco is a student in the Integrative Conservation PhD Program through the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources (Dr. Nibbelink Spatial Analysis Lab). She is also a collaborator at the Mamiraua Institute for Sustainable Development in Brazil and a Wildlife Conservation Society Graduate Scholarship Program Recipient. Del Toro’s research and her fluency in four languages has taken her to collaborate in more than eight countries, where she has been involved in projects on biology, ecology, and conservation of mammals and human-wildlife coexistence. Her doctoral work involves studying the relationship between jaguars and humans, as well as jaguar movement, in an area of the Brazilian Amazon known for its annual flooding. This unique ecosystem means both humans and animals must adapt to a changing landscape that is under water (in some places up to 12 meters) for several months. She is passionate about nature and photography, and believes that by sharing the beauty and importance she sees in nature she can help inspire that passion in others. Del Toro has won photography contests and has had her photographs published in books such as the "Handbook of the Mammals of the World." Some of her photos have also been published by National Geographic. These images were taken in the course of her research during the flooded season in the Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve in the Brazilian Amazon. It included working with local people, living in floating houses and traveling by boat and small canoes for days to track and record jaguar movements and their feeding habits. Look for them in the lobby of Building 4 through the fall semester. Male melanistic jaguar (“onça-preta” Panthera onca) on top of a tree, eating a sloth (“preguiça," Bradypus variegatus) during the flooded season. Notice some of the sloth’s hair in the jaguar’s mouth and the sloth carcass at the bottom. Jaguar (“onça-pintada,” Panthera onca) sleeping (and drooling) on a tree branch during the flooded season. Male melanistic jaguar (Panthera onca) resting on a tree during the flooded season. "Black panthers" are not an actual species. It is a term popularly used to describe melanistic jaguars (Panthera onca) and leopards (Panthera pardus) with dark pigmentation. Melanism is caused by dominant mutations in jaguars and by recessive mutations in leopards. The genus Panthera includes both black big cats, although jaguars are found only in the Americas while leopards are found in Africa and Asia. “My paddle, my toy.” A girl from one of the local communities in her canoe. Happy siblings proudly show off their catch of the day. Catfish species: “Pirarara” (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus), back, and “Piranambu” (Pinirampus pirinampu), front. Emerald tree boa snake (“Cobra papagaio”, Corallus caninus) resting on a vine after coming out of the water. Amazon River Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) underwater. Even though their coloration varies between grey and pink, they are locally known as “Boto Vermelho,” which means “Red dolphin.” This is because they sometimes appear more red when underwater. Uakari Floating Lodge at night (“Pousada Uacari”). A community-based tourism initiative in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon. Kids from a local community having fun in the water and jumping off a tree during the flooded season. Army ants (Eciton sp.) building living bridges in their temporary nest during the flooded season. An Amazon river dolphin, also known as “pink river dolphin” (“boto vermelho”, Inia geoffrensis-Cetacea: Iniidae). This species doesn’t usually leap above the water, so seeing them like this is rare. Most adult males and some females are predominantly pink, like the one seen in this photo. A grey river dolphin (“Tucuxi”, Sotalia fluviatilis-Cetacea: Delphinidae) with a parasitic freshwater canero catfish (“Candiru”, Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) attached to its body in between the fluke and the abdomen. The “Tucuxi” is the only member of the Delphinidae family living in freshwater habitats in the Amazon River Basin. Male three-toed sloth (“preguiça-de-bentinho”, Bradypus variegatus) swimming during the flooded season. Founder of one of the local communities at the Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve showing his records and notes of the foundation and history of the community. One of the floating research bases at the Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve. Slide/Banner Caption: Wezddy in the flooded forest after the team retrieved a radio collar about 3 meters underwater. Collars are programmed to drop off of the jaguar after a set period. That way, there is no need to recapture the jaguar to remove the collar.
