Of Cats and Communities

As a toddler, Lucrecia Aguilar watched The Lion King every day. Today, as a fifth-year student in organismic and evolutionary biology at Harvard Griffin GSAS, she brings that passion for big cats to research that focuses on their interactions with people and livestock–and how those interactions relate to biodiversity loss and conservation. Working with local partners in Laikipia, Kenya, Aguilar’s research utilizes GPS collars and remote sensing technology to track and better understand the behavior of critically threatened wild lions. Her goal is to develop strategies that minimize human-lion conflict and ensure both the survival of big cats and the livelihoods of local communities.