Calling all Explorer Cubs!
Don’t be a sucker – come to Explorer Cubs with Mai Fahmy to learn about leeches! Mai Fahmy is a conservation biologist studying jungle leeches and biodiversity in Madagascar. Explorer Cubs will learn what it takes to traverse the jungle, gather data (and leeches!), and how studying those creepy crawlers can help us save the rainforest! In this hands-on session, Mai Fahmy will answer questions, ignite Cubs’ curiosity, and expand Cubs’ understanding of the world around us.
- When: Saturday March 8, 10am-11:30am
- Who: Young explorers ages 7-11 years old
- Where: The Explorers Club
- Cost: Free!
Please reserve one space per student. Adults are encouraged to stay but should not register.
Through fun and interactive sessions with field explorers, the Explorer Cubs Program aims to foster future citizens of the planet and strengthen the relationships between Explorers Club members, the community, and the next generation of change makers.
Be on the lookout for more information about future sessions!
Mai Fahmy
I am a conservation biologist working towards discovering and protecting the planet’s biodiversity. My research is centered on developing and advancing the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for applications in conservation. For over ten years, I have led expeditions to remote forests in Madagascar in search of terrestrial blood-feeding jungle leeches. I target the residual host DNA in leech blood meals, or invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) as an efficient means of surveying vertebrate fauna. I also use various forms of environmental DNA, sourced through water or plant surfaces, to track elusive and recently extinct fauna, like Madagascar’s endemic “horned” crocodile. My research aims to inform conservation management in some of the world’s most imperiled rainforests while also expanding our understanding of leeches themselves as understudied organisms. My interests broadly include how anthropogenic forces such as deforestation and human conflict affect biodiversity, as well as how cultural values interact with conservation efforts. A paramount goal of my career is to increase diversity in the sciences and support underrepresented students in my efforts to conserve wildlife and understand how our species impacts the natural world.
PC: Beatriz Otero-Jimenez
