Mikaela Gerwing

I am a wildlife conservation biologist and a PhD. student at Concordia University, Montreal. My research focus is threefold: the rehabilitation and reintroduction of bearded capuchin monkeys in the Brazilian Caatinga, human-wildlife coexistence in the area of release, and the effectiveness and ethical integrity of wildlife rescue centres in the areas of animal welfare, human welfare and conservation.

In 2022, I graduated with my MS in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University, New York, summa cum laude. Prior to this I worked as a conservation biologist for Taricaya Eco Reserve and Rescue Center in the Madre de Dios region of Peru for two years. In 2019, I earned my BSc. in Natural Resources Conservation, Global Perspectives from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Throughout my career, I have worked and volunteered in wildlife conservation and rehabilitation in four continents with countless animals and dream to one day open and operate a nonprofit wildlife rescue center. I am passionate about wildlife conservation and reintroduction, community development and animal welfare, with a particular affinity towards primates, elephants and bears.