Members

Mario was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and has had two abiding passions since childhood: racing cars and wildlife. After a long career of nearly 20 years in motorsport, with stints in Formula 1 and Formula Indy, he decided to dedicate himself entirely to wildlife conservation. He has traveled to various parts of the world in order to visit several animal conservation projects involving gorillas, tigers, polar bears, pandas, leopards, lions and more. Mario decided to establish Onçafari in order to conserve Brazil's biodiversity, and to assist in the development of local communities through ecotourism and science.

Simon was born in Zimbabwe, where, as a child, he became fascinated by nature. He started his career as a professional wildlife guide in South Africa, working for several major groups of small hotels that utilize ecotourism as a method of conservation. He has made significant progress in his career and now holds the most advanced certification in his profession in South Africa. After meeting Mario, they developed a plan together to promote ecotourism in Brazil. After several visits to the Pantanal, it became clear that for any plan to work it would be crucial to include jaguars.

Amanda is a biologist and educator graduated from Universidade de São Paulo (USP), showing great interest in biodiversity conservation, education and scientific diffusion. During graduation, she was a part of several university extension projects for grade school students and a volunteer in scientific diffusion projects through podcasts and videos, being part of script writing to editing episodes. Being a part of Onçafari is a great achievement for Amanda and an important opportunity to unite science, education and audiovisual production towards the goal of environment conservation.

She holds a degree in Education and earned a master's degree in Environmental Education with a focus on Integrated Fire Management. She believes that nature conservation must go hand in hand with social transformation. Before joining Onçafari, she worked in protected areas, environmental education projects, and schools. She has experience in community engagement and strengthening socio-environmental public policies, particularly those involving Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities.

Today, she is part of Onçafari’s Socio-Environmental team, committed to integrating nature conservation with social justice.

Angélica Rodrigues is an attorney with a strong background in strategic negotiations, business structuring, and project management, working at the intersection of private organizations, the public sector, and diverse stakeholder groups. With experience in high-impact operations, institutional relations, and consensus-building, she has built her career supporting decision-making processes in complex and dynamic environments.

Before joining Onçafari, she worked at some of Brazil’s leading law firms, including Machado Meyer Advogados and Lefosse Advogados, focusing on real estate transactions, corporate deals, due diligence processes, and negotiations. She later joined Braskem, where she was responsible for matters related to Real Estate Law and institutional relations.

Today, she contributes her expertise to initiatives that strengthen strategic partnerships, governance, and the long-term sustainability of conservation efforts.

Bruno Tavares holds a degree in Education from the University of São Paulo (USP) and a postgraduate specialization in Instructional Design from Senac. He has experience in corporate education, training, and people development. Throughout his career, he has worked with various organizations, including Empiricus, contributing to initiatives focused on learning, talent development, and strengthening organizational culture.

Currently, he serves as a Human Resources Analyst at Onçafari, supporting people management and organizational development projects aligned with the organization's mission of conserving Brazil’s biodiversity.

Graduated in business administration by Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie with a 100% scholarship, accomplished her dream to work in a Big Four, being for 4 years in the area of technical and accounting for external audits in PwC, where she developed technical and interpersonal abilities.
Did a digital marketing course where she learned to sell digital products through social media advertising and did small works as a Freelancer creating content for blogs with distinct niches. Her hobbies are playing piano, reading and cooking. She loves to travel, observe and capture landscapes. She found in Onçafari a great opportunity to contribute, even indirectly, to environment conservation.

From an early age, I had the desire to work in the field of environmental conservation. After completing my degree in Environmental Engineering at EESC/USP, I lived in the Amazon for 7 years, where I had the opportunity to work with traditional communities through my master’s program in Porto Velho-RO and research conducted in the interior of Amazonas. In Tefé-AM, I worked in the Third Sector, combining scientific research, natural resource management, and fundraising. Passionate about conservation and sustainable development, I currently coordinate the grant acquisition area, always aiming to strengthen our actions to amplify the positive impacts generated by Onçafari.

Graduated in Economics, Erick began his career in the Institutional Sustainability area at Cia. de Transmissão de Energia Elétrica Paulista, a multinational in the electricity sector, where he discovered his interest in sustainability.
A few years later, he combined his two passions, finance and sustainability, by joining Itaú BBA, the largest private bank in Latin America. There, he specialized in environmental, social, and governance assessments of companies from various sectors, client engagement, structuring fundraising operations, and managing databases, indicators, and strategic reports.
Joining Onçafari represents his purpose of using data to generate positive impact.

Gabriela holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from São Paulo State University (UNESP Sorocaba) and a postgraduate specialization in Human Rights, Social Responsibility, and Global Citizenship from PUC-RS. She has always been passionate about environmental issues and driven by the desire to create a positive impact in Brazil.

Deeply connected to the country and its rich diversity, she has participated in volunteer projects and cultural expeditions to communities in the states of Pará, Amazonas, Acre, and Piauí. She began her career in the nonprofit sector, working with organizations such as Endeavor and Parceiros da Educação.

Joining Onçafari marked her first professional experience in the environmental conservation sector, representing the fulfillment of a personal aspiration to dedicate her experience and expertise to a cause she deeply values.

Since his childhood, Germano has been immersed in the world of sports. He started playing tennis at the age of 5 and continued to follow his passion until he graduated in Business Administration with a concentration in finance at Winthrop University/USA, where he attended college as a student athlete. In 2014 he completed his MBA in Global Management from Thunderbird School/USA. Germano has more than 10 years of experience in the financial and administrative areas, working in Brazilian and American companies. Acting in financial planning, strategic development, identification of business opportunities, and combining management to achieve organizational goals, he followed a career based on his passion for sports, but moved on from a career in athletics to one in sports management. Now, he enters the new and exciting world of biodiversity, where he has developed a passion that has grown to be stronger ever since he joined Onçafari.

He holds a degree in Marketing from Mackenzie Presbyterian University and brings more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, with expertise in communications, marketing, fundraising, and institutional development. Throughout his career, he has worked with organizations such as TUCCA and Parceiros da Educação, and served as Executive Director of NBI, a community-based organization in Santiago, Chile.

Passionate about social impact and building long-term relationships, he believes the nonprofit sector is a powerful force for positive change. He joined Onçafari as **Fundraising and Donor Relations Manager**, with the mission of engaging individuals and organizations in support of the conservation of Brazil’s biodiversity.

With a degree in Biological Sciences by Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM), Jéssica is remarkably involved and dedicated with Brazilian fauna scientific dissemination and environment conservation. She is involved in projects for traditional and social media, besides having developed a scientific dissemination card game for public school students during an internship in technology, which got her a participation in the prestigious European Conference on Research in Science Education (ESERA). Also, her undergraduate research and internship focused on bacteriophages as an alternative to antibiotic use for the treatment of bacterial diseases in plants and animals, showing her concern with the environmental impact of these compounds. Her commitment with biodiversity has broad effects, from her projects and her role in Onçafari’s marketing, which shows her versatility and passion to contribute to the progress of science and for society.

I hold a degree in Marketing and have built my career working independently in communication and content production over several years. Leading my own business, I worked directly with brands, developing strategies that supported their positioning and growth in the digital environment.

My work combines strategic thinking with a strong sense of empathy, focusing on genuine connections and well-crafted experiences. Driven by my connection to nature and passion for travel, I have developed a keen eye for detail, diverse cultures, and the value of authentic experiences.

Today, as part of the Onçafari Association, I continue aligning my professional journey with a purpose that truly reflects what I believe in.

Graduated in business administration by PUC-SP, worked in renowned companies, both national and international, where for 15 years developed business strategies, led big brands, promoted innovations and product launches, and managed relevant communication campaigns. Her passions are: her family – being married with 3 sons -, nature and traveling. And so it was, in one of her trips with her family to Pantanal, she was charmed by Onçafari. Juliana joined us as a management, strategy and marketing consultant.

Formada em Contabilidade pelo Senac e construiu sua trajetória profissional no segmento de turismo de luxo. Iniciou sua carreira na área administrativo/financeira e, posteriormente, migrou para o departamento operacional, onde ampliou sua experiência e passou três anos liderando a equipe operacional.
Karen traz para o Onçafari sua excelência em gestão operacional e seu olhar atento aos detalhes, contribuindo diretamente para a implantação da nossa área de Hospitalidade.

Lélia graduated in international relations from FAAP and continued her studies by completing a MBA in marketing at ESPM. She has more than 10 years of experience in the marketing sector by working for multinational corporations and continued her career as an entrepreneur for the last 5 years, where she started her own business. She is passionate about nature, loves traveling, practicing Yoga, and meeting new people. In 2017, she traveled to South Africa and attended a safari for the first time. After this incredible experience, she became even more devoted to promoting environmental conservation. Today, she leads the marketing team at Onçafari.

A Rio de Janeiro native, she holds a degree in Biological Sciences with a focus on Ecology from UFRJ. She has always been passionate about conservation and Brazil’s biodiversity.

Throughout her career, she has worked in both the Atlantic Forest and the Amazon on projects related to environmental education, science communication, and community-based ecotourism, integrating scientific and traditional knowledge.

She has also participated in wildlife monitoring and ecological interaction studies, with a focus on camera trapping.

Today, she is fulfilling a long-held dream by joining Onçafari, working with the international fundraising team.

Marcella was born in Viçosa, a small town in the countryside of Minas Gerais. From an early age, she had strong exposure to and curiosity about nature, which played a key role in shaping her academic path. She is a biologist, holds both a Master’s and a PhD from USP, and earned her undergraduate degree from UFV, including a study-abroad period in England.

During her Master’s, she studied how populations of maned wolves and pumas use landscapes composed of degraded areas, agricultural fields, and protected areas. In her PhD, she investigated how landscape characteristics, such as the amount of native vegetation and habitat heterogeneity, influence communities of native mammals and invasive species in agricultural landscapes of the Cerrado in São Paulo.

With over 10 years of experience in the environmental field, she has provided consulting services, developed and collaborated on national and international research projects, participated in major scientific events, and published articles in well-regarded journals. Her main areas of interest include Ecology, Biodiversity Conservation, and Mammalogy.

Marcella believes that scientific research can be a powerful tool for promoting socio-environmental justice. Since May 2024, she has been serving as Scientific Coordinator at Onçafari.

A biologist with a Master’s degree in Ecology from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, he began his scientific career researching the acoustic communication of humpback whales. During his master’s, he investigated the effects of habitat fragmentation on fruit-feeding butterflies in Atlantic Forest remnants in Northeast Brazil, and also worked for several years on butterfly monitoring projects in both the Caatinga and the Atlantic Forest.

In 2019, he shifted his focus to research on habitat use and movement ecology of jaguars in the Amazon, where he worked for five years and developed a strong passion for these large felines. He currently works as a Scientific Analyst within the Science program.

Graduated in Journalism from Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM), Maju has a strong interest in combining communication with a greater good: raising awareness. Throughout her journey, she has been involved in projects that integrate culture, education, and social transformation—experiences that have strengthened her perspective on the potential of communication as a tool for impact and collective consciousness.
Her affinity for social and environmental causes stems from the belief that to communicate is also to preserve—whether it's memory, culture, or biodiversity. For Maju, working at Onçafari represents the opportunity to align purpose with action, combining her passion for diverse narratives with care for and appreciation of the environment.

Mayan has always felt deeply connected to wildlife and found her purpose in conservation. She earned her degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of São Paulo (FMVZ-USP), where she served as President of the Wildlife Studies Group (GEAS-USP), conducted research in avian ecopathology, and completed internships at zoos, wildlife rescue centers, and research institutions in Brazil and abroad.

During her residency at INCQS-FIOCRUZ, she further expanded her expertise through the One Health approach. Building on this foundation, she chose to pursue a strategic career in conservation, focusing on solutions that address the root causes of environmental challenges. She found that path in Onçafari’s Forests Department, where she contributes to the conservation of jaguar habitat and the ecosystems that support countless other species.

Paola is an agronomist and holds a master's degree in agriculture. She has over 15 years of experience in corporate sustainability, having enabled significant investments in social projects at major companies such as Grupo Abengoa, AES Brasil, Companhia de Transmissão de Energia Elétrica Paulista, and more recently, at the JHSF Group and Fasano.

In her most recent role, she structured and implemented the Sustainability Department at JHSF, establishing policies, processes, and procedures for the area, as well as implementing business performance indicators.

Graduated in Business Administration and holding an MBA in Business Management, she began her professional journey as an intern in the administrative and financial area, where she continues to work today. She completed specializations in Assertive Communication and Strategic Innovation at FGV, courses that helped her develop public speaking and innovation skills during her six-year tenure as a banker. She has a great passion for nature and animals and takes pride in being part of an NGO that works to protect both. Raquel loves spending time with her family, traveling, cooking, and reading.

Renata Araújo was born in São Paulo. She graduated in Human Resources Administration and began her career as an Administrative Assistant in 2009. She has taken courses such as Anti-Racist Education and Labor Legislation to stay current and develop her corporate communication skills in her field as an HR Administrative Assistant.

Renata Araújo was born in São Paulo. She holds a degree in Human Resources Management and began her career as an Administrative Assistant in 2009. She has completed courses such as Anti-Racist Education and Labor Law to stay up to date and continue developing in the Human Resources field.

Biologist graduated from the University of São Paulo (USP), she has been working in biodiversity conservation for over 10 years. She believes that effective conservation requires fostering a strong connection between people and nature. For this reason, throughout her career, Stephanie has worked as a guide in both the Pantanal and the Atlantic Forest, and has developed environmental education projects with schools and local communities.

She advocates that conservation must go hand in hand with social transformation, strengthening the role of local communities and promoting quality of life in harmony with ecosystem protection.

Currently, she serves as Junior Social and Environmental Manager at Onçafari, responsible for implementing the organization’s social and environmental project strategy in the regions where it operates, with a strong commitment to integrating environmental conservation with the well-being of local communities.

She is an executive with nearly 20 years of experience in Operations Management and Strategy across the retail and shopping center sectors, having held leadership roles at renowned organizations such as IBM, C&A, Grupo Coteminas, Michael Page, Iguatemi, and JHSF.

She holds a degree in Business Administration, along with postgraduate specializations in Project Management, Corporate Finance, and ESG & Stakeholder Management.

Passionate about inspiring and developing people, she is committed to creating a positive impact on organizations, individuals, and the planet.

Today, as Hospitality and Infrastructure Manager at Onçafari, she brings this expertise to bridge business strategy with the practical conservation of Brazil’s biodiversity.

Vanessa studied Visual Arts for two years at FAAP before deciding to change paths and become a Psychologist with an MBA in Business Administration from FGV. She began her Human Resources career over 20 years ago at Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), and went on to work at Natura, Unilever, Owens-Illinois do Brasil, and the Generics and Similar Medicines Division of Novartis, Sandoz.
Always in leadership roles within HR, Vanessa is passionate about people development and the implementation of HR processes. In recent years, she founded Coreplay Training Consultancy, where she worked on training projects, leadership development programs, and organizational climate strategies in the pharmaceutical industry and beyond, using the Lego® Serious Play® methodology.
She joins Onçafari with the mission of establishing and leading the Human Resources department.

Trained as a lawyer and driven by a passion for education and the natural world, Vanessa Simone Pereira brings extensive international experience in strategic development, institutional relations, and fundraising. Throughout her career, she has worked with organizations such as Americas Society/Council of the Americas, BrazilFoundation, CDI, TozziniFreire, and PGLaw, building connections between business, social impact, and sustainability.

She is the founder of Peki, an initiative focused on environmental education and strengthening family connections through nature. She has also participated in education and conservation programs in New York. Currently, she divides her time between São Paulo and New York, supporting projects dedicated to biodiversity conservation, education, and engaging future generations in environmental stewardship.

Adilson was born and raised in São Pedro de Joselândia, a Pantanal community near the São Francisco do Perigara Reserve. Since he was little, he has been very attached to the Pantanal and has always enjoyed swimming in its rivers, boating and canoeing, and riding horses through the floods. Throughout his life, he worked in the region with cattle and land management. Today, he is a driver for the reserve, a place as calm and peaceful as he is!

I was born in Miranda-MS and I am an Administration student. Joining the Onçafari team at Reserva Santa Sofia was a great achievement. I seek greater learnings for personal and professional life, with the dream of taking new courses and learning other languages and cultures.

Ananda is a geographer, with a Master's and Ph.D. in Geography, and has worked in public organizations (such as Inpe, Ibama, ICMBio, Ministry of Cities, etc.) and the third sector (SOS Pantanal, Coiab, Land is Life, etc.). She is passionate about cartography and monitoring illegal activities, but truly found her calling when she started working in environmental emergencies, specifically in wildfire prevention and control. She has published various materials on this subject and was responsible for the first integrated fire management plan for Onçafari. Currently, she coordinates the anti-wildfire front of the organization and her daily goal is to strengthen the fire management agenda in their reserves.

Camylla is a veterinarian with nearly twenty years of experience in carnivorous mammal conservation. Since graduating in 2008, she has been working in research centers and conservation projects focused on species such as jaguars, pumas, pampas foxes, and maned wolves.
She has worked in the rescue and rehabilitation of both terrestrial and marine wildlife, gaining experience in clinical practice, surgery, and anesthesia at rehabilitation centers in Maranhão, Pará, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo. She has also participated in the monitoring of threatened carnivores and coordinated and worked on highway ecology projects.
With a master's degree in Science from Universidade Santo Amaro (UNISA), Camylla researched parasitic and infectious agents in pumas and jaguars. She is currently a Ph.D. student in the One Health graduate program at the same university.
Since February 2025, she has been part of Onçafari’s veterinary team, where she conducts captures, management, and epidemiological analyses of wild mammals.

Carolina is a biologist graduated from Mackenzie University, who got into the field due to her love for nature and all forms of life.
During her undergraduate studies, she participated in scientific projects on a national scale, aimed at flora conservation, researching biogeography, ecology, and taxonomy. After graduation, she started working as a guide and environmental educator, traveling with groups through state parks in the Southeast, and in 2023, she began working as a bilingual guide in the southern Pantanal.
For Carol, experiencing the Pantanal and its abundant wildlife is incredible. Her position at Onçafari has given her the opportunity to bring together her personal passion for nature with her professional dedication to conservation in one role.

Daniel, a native of Mambaí-GO, a city near the border with Bahia, has always enjoyed being in nature and connecting with animals. His first professional experience was as a firefighter with ICMBio in 2013. Between 2014 and 2021, he worked at the “Criadouro de animais silvestres” at Fazenda Trijunção. In 2022, he returned to ICMBio as a firefighter, accompanying researchers in the Goiás and Bahia Conservation Units where he worked, always dedicated to protecting and understanding nature and its inhabitants. In 2024, Daniel joined the Onçafari team in the Cerrado, at the Pousada Trijunção and Grande Sertão Veredas National Park complex, monitoring large felines, including black jaguars—an experience he describes as surreal. Daniel hopes to continue contributing to the Cerrado project, aiding in the preservation of these species and the biome where he was born.

My name is Deivid, I was born in São Francisco do Perigara, where I spent most of my childhood and learned from an early age to work with cattle and tractors alongside my father. Today, I feel proud and happy to work in the place where I was born and to be part of the Onçafari team.

Born in Santa Catarina, Edu is a biologist graduated in 2014 from the State University of Ponta Grossa (PR). He is currently the coordinator of the Science front of the Onçafari. Since the beginning of his career, he has been focusing on research and conservation of mammals, with emphasis on top predators, such as jaguars, pumas and wolves. He joined the Onçafari team in 2015, working with photographic trapping, collecting, compiling and analyzing data, tracking and habituation of jaguars in the Pantanal and wolf guards in the Cerrado. He has a deep interest in ecology, behavior and strategies for the conservation of these species in free life.

Born in Nova Andradina, he lives in Aquidauana and studied Animal Science. He worked for three years at Caiman Pantanal, where he became familiar with Onçafari, and now lives at the Santa Sofia Reserve, where he serves as the Reserve Coordinator.

am originally from Cuiabá and have always worked with cattle management. Today, I am part of the Onçafari team, working as a cowboy.

Hi, my name is Gabriel. I’m from Cuiabá and I have experience working with cattle. I’m currently part of the livestock team at Onçafari and I’m really excited to learn and grow even more here.

Gabriela has a bachelor and teaching degree in Biological Sciences from Universidade de São Paulo (USP). During the graduation she was an intern in Centro de Manejo e Conservação de Animais Silvestres (CeMaCAs), where she had her first experience working with wild animals. She also did field activities in avifauna and mastofauna monitoring. Has a master’s degree in Ecology from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in 2022, in which she investigated the diet and conservation of the Brazilian tapir. She works as a field biologist with emphasis on camera trap monitoring. In her view, it is a great satisfaction to be able to apply her experience in a project on behalf of biodiversity conservation.

I grew up between mountains and forests, riding a bicycle, nurturing an adventurous spirit that now guides my career. I am a veterinarian who graduated from Faculdade Multivix (Castelo-ES), with a postgraduate degree in Collective Veterinary Medicine, and I work at the intersection of animal health, environmental conservation, and disaster response. With experience in technical wildlife rescue and emergency management, I was involved in critical situations in 2020, such as the floods in Espírito Santo and the wildfires in Pantanal-MS, working as part of multidisciplinary teams in monitoring and assisting impacted animals.
In Pantanal, specifically in Serra do Amolar (MS), I worked as an area manager, with field activities focused on species monitoring, such as the jaguar. As a member of GRETAP (Cerrado-Pantanal Technical Animal Rescue Group) and a former member of the National Disaster Commission of CRMV-MS, I developed skills in Incident Command System (ICS) and crisis management. In the Amazon, I served as Regional Field Coordinator on a project with Indigenous communities in the Raposa Serra do Sol region, in Boa Vista-RR, further strengthening my commitment to actions that integrate traditional knowledge, technical expertise, and socio-environmental concerns.
Currently, at Onçafari, I have the privilege of applying this multidisciplinary background to the conservation of key species for ecosystem balance. I believe that Veterinary Medicine is a crucial tool for biodiversity protection, and I am honored to contribute to an institution that turns science into practical actions for the harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife.

Originally from Corumbá (MS), since joining Onçafari he has been responsible for managing the farm, overseeing the organization of daily activities.

My name is Glauci Anne da Silva Moraes, and I was born in the city of Corumbá, in Mato Grosso do Sul. I have lived in the Pantanal my entire life and have always worked in agriculture.

I got married and continued working in the fields. I have three children, and I strive every day to ensure they have the opportunity to study. I began working at Onçafari as a general services assistant, and I never imagined I would have a formal job in a place I love so much.

I want to do my best to help preserve the Pantanal, which is beautiful and is my home. It has been wonderful to meet new people and learn from them.

Raised in the Atlantic Forest, Isabela graduated in Biology from UNICAMP, where she began her journey focused on wildlife conservation and environmental education. For the past seven years, she has been conducting research on mammals in degraded areas, with a particular focus on primates. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Ecology at the same university, developing a project that investigates the relationship between arboreal mammals and urban and peri-urban environments.
During an expedition to Chapada dos Veadeiros, Isabela was captivated by the richness of the Cerrado and its unique fauna—especially the maned wolf. Years later, the biologist returned to the biome that had left a deep impression on her, this time to work as a bilingual guide and Onçafari biologist at Pousada Trijunção, combining science, conservation, and environmental education in support of one of Brazil’s richest and most threatened biomes.

Originally from Corumbá (MS), since joining Onçafari he has been responsible for operating tractors, supporting corral activities, and carrying out preventive and corrective maintenance.

Soon =)

I graduated as a veterinarian from the Universidade de Sorocaba (Uniso) in 2020, with professional development in large animal clinic and surgery (2020-2022). During this period, I joined the Technical Animal Rescue Group, working in adverse scenarios and disaster situations, always with a focus on animal welfare.

In 2023, I began a specialization in the United States, in the state of Texas, where I deepened my knowledge and practices in the field. Subsequently (2024-2025), I took on the coordination of animal health in a project focused on the Amazon biome, in the state of Roraima, working directly with traditional communities. This experience strengthened my connection with the environment—something I’ve carried since childhood when I was a scout and a junior firefighter—and expanded my understanding of the integration between cultural and scientific knowledge.

From this point, I decided to direct my career towards activities carried out in nature. Currently, I am pursuing a postgraduate degree in Environmental Management and Sustainable Development, aiming to further expand my involvement in projects that promote the balance between nature, wildlife, and human communities.

Based in Cuiabá (MT), since joining Onçafari he has been responsible for supervising the team of cowboys in the daily cattle management activities, ensuring animal welfare and good livestock practices.

My name is Lauriano, I am 32 years old, and I am Terena, born and raised in the Ipegue Indigenous community.

I am married and a father of two children, Anthony and Angelina. Today, I live in the Colônia Nova community, in the municipality of Aquidauana.

I have worked as a forest firefighter for three seasons, fighting wildfires, and today I have the opportunity to work at Onçafari as a field guide, continuously learning to respect and preserve nature.

Biologist, he began his career in 2004 working in clinical pathology. In 2006, he joined the São Paulo Zoo, where he worked as an environmental educator and in the management of wild mammals. He further expanded his experience with captive wildlife at the Animália Foundation (CETAS) and he also carried out wildlife monitoring in the Serra do Mar region, between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. He joined Onçafari in 2012, working on jaguar habituation and capture for monitoring purposes. He currently coordinates Onçafari’s Reintroduction Center in the Pantanal and Amazon biomes. He serves as the technical lead (Pantanal and Amazon) for jaguar and puma reintroduction, capture, and monitoring programs in partnership with Cenap/ICMBio. He also works as Reservations Manager for the properties managed by Onçafari.

Graduated in Biological Sciences in 2005, with a postgraduate degree in Wildlife Management and Conservation, she has always aspired to work with animals. Her first two opportunities came at the São Paulo Zoo, where she worked as a small felid researcher and trainee biologist. Lilian also worked at the Wildlife Center and later decided to broaden her experience in free-ranging wildlife, beginning research with wild cats in the Serra do Mar.

She has been part of the Onçafari team since 2012 and currently serves as the Ecotourism and Science Manager, overseeing ecotourism operations at the Caiman Pantanal and Pousada Trijunção bases, as well as leading the Science front (Academia, Monitoring, and Veterinary).

Originally from Corumbá (MS), since joining Onçafari he has been responsible for the farm’s administration, coordinating the organization of daily activities.

Born and raised in a farm which worked with rural tourism, in Miranda-MS, since I was a kid I’ve really liked nature and had a great interest in getting to know the fauna and flora “pantaneira”. In my adolescence, I found my passion for birds and photography and started guiding tours in Delta do Salobra, Pantanal. In 2022, I started my graduation in biological sciences and had the great opportunity to join team Onçafari, where I work as field guide and assistant in Centro de Reintrodução de Animais Silvestres (Reintroduction Center for Wild Animals).

Raised between the city and the coast, he later earned a Bachelor's degree in Marine Sciences from UNIFESP, followed by a teaching degree in Biological Sciences from IFSP, where he began his work in conservation and environmental education.

He has experience across different fields, which highlighted the importance of approaching conservation through an integrated perspective that combines social and scientific knowledge.

He has conducted research in the Amazon and along the Brazilian coast, worked with wildlife, ecosystem restoration, and served as both a teacher and environmental educator. He currently works at Onçafari as a Bilingual Guide and Biologist at the Trijunção base, where he found in the Cerrado a new opportunity for learning and significant professional fulfillment.

I am a biologist who graduated with a bachelor and teaching degree by Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF) in 2020. I was always the type of biologist passionate about being on the field, who likes to be surrounded by nature and animals. In 2016 I was in an exchange program in Perth, Australia. I’ve worked in several fields in Zoology, with a focus on Ornithology, having experience with observations, acoustic and visual census of birds. Between 2018 and 2020 I’ve worked as an Environment Teacher in the Botanic Garden of UFJF, receiving and guiding schools and tourists, as well as participating in the development of projects towards environment education and scientific dissemination. It was there where I discovered that I wanted to work showing the wonders of our fauna and flora to the public. Onçafari turned up to be the perfect opportunity to work with what I love.

Luciana is a biologist, holds a Master’s degree in Environment and Regional Development, is a Sustainability Specialist, and serves as a Counselor at the Regional Council of Biology CRBio-01. Since her academic training, she has carried out research and advisory work with Indigenous peoples on issues related to territory, cultural and environmental education, ethnotourism, and ethnofauna. She also has experience in ecology and conservation, bird monitoring and inventories, capture, banding, and radio telemetry within scientific research and environmental consultancy.

With more than 15 years of experience working on major research projects, she has been active in several regions of the Pantanal. At the Sesc Pantanal Private Natural Heritage Reserve, she worked on projects including the biology and basic ecology of macaw species, studies of colonial birds along the Cuiabá River, and the reproductive biology of the harpy eagle. At the Blue Macaw Institute, she worked at the São Francisco do Perigara Farm, focusing on census activities, banding, reproductive monitoring, and assessing the impact of fire on blue macaws.

She is originally from the state of Mato Grosso and is deeply passionate about the Pantanal.

Born and raised in the Perigara region on the banks of São Lourenço River, Lucinete was always a resident of the region.
When she was a kid she studied in the school inside Fazenda São Francisco.
As a grown woman, she worked in several farms and inns in the region such as the Arara-Azul inn, the Treze inn, Triunfo inn, Fazenda Tarigara and Fazenda São Francisco. Her main job was as a cook, but also worked as maid and waitress.
In Reserva São Francisco do Perigara she is responsible for the kitchen where she delights all with her wonderful seasoning and captivating mood.

A true Pantaneiro, I have always lived on a farm and since my adolescence, I have worked handling cattle and services in general. At 24 years old, I started working as a tour guide in the Delta do Salobra region. In October 2024, I joined Onçafari to work at Reserva Santa Sofia.

Graduated in Biological Sciences from the University of São Paulo in 2015, he conducted research at the Laboratory of Mammal Diversity and Conservation (DICOM), using camera traps to monitor wildlife in the Cantareira region, São Paulo.
Throughout his professional career, he has worked in companies focused on education, environmental education, and publishing.
Since 2023, he has collaborated with the Onçafari Association, assisting in wildlife monitoring across different bases near São Paulo. In June 2025, he was invited to join a biodiversity survey project at the São Francisco do Perigara Reserve, where he currently works as a Conservation Analyst.

Veterinarian graduated from UFMG with a specialization in Project Management from FGV, with extensive experience in environmental management, wildlife handling, and consulting for large-scale enterprises. He has worked on licensing projects, biodiversity monitoring, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, restoration of degraded areas, and the development of environmental and sustainability programs. He has coordinated multidisciplinary teams in field operations, including emergency situations such as the Brumadinho dam collapse in Minas Gerais, wildfires, and floods in the Amazon region, always engaging with communities, clients, and regulatory agencies. He has also participated in carnivore monitoring programs (pumas, maned wolves, ocelots, foxes), including capture, tagging, and tracking through radio telemetry. Passionate about wildlife conservation and the mitigation of human impacts on the environment, he strives to integrate technical expertise with sensitivity to promote effective nature protection actions.

She grew up in Ilhabela, São Paulo, where she developed a deep passion for nature and an awareness of the need to conserve biodiversity and the importance of ecotourism in achieving this goal. She earned a degree in Biology with the purpose of working in fields that contribute to the healthy maintenance of ecosystems.
She became involved in research projects and initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture, which led her to pursue a master’s degree at ESALQ/USP, focusing on the use of microorganisms as alternatives to chemical pesticides.
After this experience, she felt a growing desire to work directly with biodiversity conservation. This motivated her to live closer to wildlife, to learn from the great masters of the Cerrado, such as the maned wolf, and to exchange knowledge with those who visit this biome. Today, she works as the Ecotourism Coordinator at the Trijunção base in the Cerrado.

A tradução para inglês, mantendo o mesmo tom institucional das demais biografias do Onçafari:

Biologist graduated from Mackenzie Presbyterian University in 2019, she found her true purpose in nature conservation. In 2020, she began her journey in the field as a volunteer in marine wildlife rehabilitation at Instituto Gremar, further strengthening her interest in wildlife and environmental education.

In 2022, she gained international experience that enhanced her English proficiency and strengthened her leadership and teamwork skills. Upon returning to Brazil, she joined the team at Caiman, where she worked as a concierge and later as a bilingual guide, building solid experience in nature-based tourism and guest relations.

In 2025, she moved to South Africa, where she spent seven months at DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage as an Animal Care Coordinator, combining wildlife management, environmental education, and social impact.

She currently works at Onçafari as a biologist and bilingual guide, bringing together her hands-on experience, passion for conservation, and ability to connect with people in a career dedicated to protecting wildlife.

Born and raised in the Pantanal, Mario Nelson has worked as a field guide at Onçafari since 2015. The Pantanal is his home; he extremely thorough knowledge of the area. He also has experience with cattle management, having grown up watching his father and grandfather working in the fields. He was trained by African professionals, and even visited the continent to learn English in order to better communicate with foreign guests. He loves to guide and continues to learn new habits of the Pantanal fauna, particularly the majestic jaguar.

Matheus Boattini Gimenez holds both a bachelor’s degree and a teaching degree in Biological Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). He has built his professional career at the intersection of education, research, and biodiversity conservation.

During his studies, he worked as a science teaching assistant at a bilingual school and participated in an agroecology collective. He also conducted undergraduate research and worked on wildlife monitoring in Cantareira State Park, in São Paulo.

Born in Mato Grosso do Sul, Matheus has always maintained a strong connection with the Pantanal and its biodiversity. He currently works as a bilingual guide at Onçafari, combining his experience in education, research, and wildlife with the opportunity to contribute directly to jaguar and Pantanal conservation.

For Matheus, returning to his roots and contributing to the conservation of one of the greatest symbols of Brazil’s biodiversity is both a privilege and a source of great personal fulfillment.

My name is Nicolly, I was born and raised in Cuiabá, and have just finished High School. I’m now part of the Onçafari team, and it’s a pleasure to be here contributing to this organization.

Born in Rio de Janeiro and holding a degree in Biological Sciences, she completed an internship at the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), working in the angiosperm reproduction laboratory. Alongside this work, she also developed projects at the Mendanha Municipal Natural Park (RJ), where she led environmental education initiatives and guided visitors.

Her career has been shaped by a strong interest in both environmental and social fields. She worked on an environmental education project in underserved communities in Rio de Janeiro, combining awareness-building with efforts to support the transformation of marginalized areas. At the same time, she maintained her passion for working with animals, gaining experience in the management of domestic and wild animals at Rio de Janeiro International Airport (Galeão), using falconry as a method to deter birds that interfere with airport operations.

In 2026, she began her journey in nature-based tourism as a biologist and bilingual guide at Onçafari, fulfilling a lifelong dream of working directly with wildlife and large felines.

Today, she dedicates her life to this passion for wildlife and conservation, with the goal of turning each experience into a meaningful connection with nature.

Born in the countryside of Minas Gerais and driven by a passion for animals, he became a biologist at the Federal University of Uberlândia in 2022 and earned a Master’s degree in Marine Biological Resources through the Erasmus Mundus program in 2025, with a focus on megafauna conservation.

He has always dreamed of working with wildlife and, throughout his journey, has lived in seven countries, gaining experience in research, teaching, and outreach. He has worked with a wide range of fauna, including birds, terrestrial and marine mammals, crustaceans, sea turtles, and corals.

At Onçafari, he found the opportunity to turn his passion for conservation, research, and environmental education into practice through ecotourism. Since February 2026, he has been working at the Caiman base in the Pantanal, where he is constantly inspired by and learning from the richness of the biome.

Pedro is a biologist who graduated from the University of São Paulo (USP). During his undergraduate studies, he volunteered in the wildlife destination sector for three months and interned in the wildlife rehabilitation sector for two years at the Wildlife Management and Conservation Center (CeMaCAS). Additionally, he was a scholarship holder in the scientific team of Freeland Brasil for two years, where he investigated the pattern of wildlife seizures in Brazil.
After this experience, Pedro joined the project implementation team at Freeland Brasil, contributing to training courses for Brazil’s enforcement forces and also served as an instructor in a wildlife trafficking course for the Federal Highway Police in Balsas, Maranhão, which resulted in a post-seizure management and care work for parrot and macaw chicks seized by the PRF.
Currently, Pedro is a wildlife monitoring professional, with an emphasis on camera trapping at Onçafari, fulfilling another dream by working with wildlife conservation in Brazil.

Graduated in Veterinary Medicine in Universidade de São Paulo (USP) in 2023, she devoted her entire graduation to working with wild animals. She did internships in a few institutions, but discovered her vocation while working for Divisão de Fauna Silvestre (Wild Fauna Division) from Prefeitura de São Paulo, where she met people who integrated fauna conservation with social and cultural work. On this framework, she developed her scientific initiation project working with data from fauna observation in the city as a tool for developing public policies.

Nowadays, she works at Onçafari with fauna monitoring using photographic traps, seeing this opportunity as a great and special professional achievement.

Since childhood, Rafael has always had a close relationship with nature, leading him to graduate with a Bachelor's and Teaching degree from Mackenzie Presbyterian University.
During most of his undergraduate studies, he worked as a teacher and environmental educator. However, in 2021, he had his first encounter with wildlife when he interned at the Center for Management and Conservation of Wildlife (CeMaCas) and hasn't stopped since. He volunteered at the Carlos Botelho State Park, monitoring primates, and at Jericoacoara National Park, monitoring seahorses.
In 2023, he achieved his dream of working in the Pantanal as a bilingual guide and became completely passionate about the biome and the profession. At Onçafari, he has been able to unite his dream of living and working in conservation in the Pantanal.

A veterinarian that has been involved in research and conservation projects since graduating in 2006. With nearly 20 years of experience in capturing, handling, and collecting biological material from wild animals, as well as providing consultations, studying road ecology, and monitoring wildlife using camera traps and GPS/VHF tracking devices.
In addition to his practical experience, he holds a master’s degree in Animal Science through the Applied Experimental Epidemiology to Zoonoses Program at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics at USP. During this program, he researched pathogens transmitted by ticks in maned wolves and domestic dogs living near the Serra da Canastra National Park in the Brazilian cerrado, with a focus in the health of carnivores and their relationship with domestic animals. Furthermore, he has a doctorate in Wildlife Conservation and Management from the Instituto de Ciências Biológicas at the Universidade federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), where he researched population patterns linked to the movement and the spatial ecology of wild felines in the Parque Estadual do Rio Doce, one of the last remnants of the Atlantic Forest in Minas Gerais.
Currently, he is responsible for capturing procedures involving jaguars, pumas, maned wolves, tapirs, and ocelots conducted by Onçafari across four different biomes. His role includes anesthesia, handling, biological sample collection, and establishing partnerships in the field of veterinary medicine and conservation.

Born in the region of São Pedro de Joselândia, Roberto grew up with his family on the banks of São Lourenço River.
From an early age he learned with his parents how to work the land, planting and harvesting food such as rice, beans, manioc, corn and many others.
After that, Roberto worked for many years on Fazenda Santo André, today part of the RPPN of Sesc Pantanal, where he began working as a herdsman and learned how to work with tractors, gaining experience and mastery in working with all kinds of agricultural implement.
Today, in Reserva São Francisco do Perigara, he works with a lot of dedication the job of tractor driver, cultivating the awe and admiration for wildlife he learned growing up.

Graduated in Forest Engineering from the Federal University of Acre (UFAC) and deeply connected to the biodiversity of the Amazon biome. I have two years of experience in projects focused on protecting isolated and recently contacted Indigenous peoples. I currently collaborate with Onçafari, where I am part of the Fire Prevention Front, providing administrative and financial support for project implementation. My professional focus is sustainability, and in my free time, I dedicate myself to studying personal finance.

Originally from Várzea Grande (MT), since joining Onçafari he has been responsible for purchasing and transporting goods, safely driving reserve vehicles and carrying out basic maintenance.

Environment manager graduated in Universidade de São Paulo (2011) with a Master's degree in Regional and Environment Development from Universidade Federal de Rondônia (2016), she works with Traditional People and Communities since 2012.

In her professional path, she always had the goal of bringing value to socio biodiversity, supporting manufacturing processes, good practices, marketing and access to public policies.

She admires the harmonious way that Traditional People and Communities live with nature and are able to preserve the biodiversity on territories from different biomes.

Born in the Caatinga, in the city of Jacobina, countryside of Bahia, she spent most of her childhood surrounded by the many animals present in the city. That way a love for animals was born, and she worked for 7 years with domestic animals, being that her first opportunity was in a hotel and daycare for dogs. Graduated in Radiology, and specialized in veterinary. During that time, she had courses on animal behavior, fauna enrichment and techniques for sampling fauna. With the goal of being even more involved with wild animals, she looked for jobs that worked directly with biodiversity conservation.

She works as field and research assistant, with focus on radio and camera trap monitoring, and tracking, and feels very accomplished for living in the heart of Cerrado working with Onçafari with large wild carnivores, especially jaguars.

Born in Juiz de Fora (MG), she grew up visiting parks and watching nature documentaries, which sparked her interest and fascination with the study of animals. She moved to the University of São Paulo to earn a degree in Biology, aiming to work in conservation one day. During her undergraduate years, she was involved in teaching at both public and private schools, as well as conducting research on barnacles from humpback whales. Nevertheless, she always felt the call to be in the field, and after graduating, she began working as a guide for environmental study programs with schools. The opportunity to work as a Bilingual Field Guide at Onçafari brings together her dreams of working with environmental education and hands-on conservation.

I was born and raised in the Miranda region, and always had a lot of contact with nature. I am the daughter of fishermen. At 18 I got married and went to work at a lodge that worked with rural tourism in the Pantanal de Miranda, there I had the opportunity to work as a maid for 12 years and then another 4 years in the kitchen. In October 2024, I started working with the Onçafari team at the Reserva Santa Sofia base.

Born in Miranda-MS, from a very young age working in the field with cattle handling, I had the experience of working for 5 years as a guide in the Delta do Salobra region. The passion for animals and biodiversity conservation was always present inside of me. In 2024, I was able to join the Onçafari team, helping in conservation and learning even more about jaguars.

Biologist, born and raised in Brasília, with a degree from the Catholic University of Brasília and a master’s in Zoology from the University of Brasília. Since childhood, he has had a strong connection with wildlife, inspired by documentaries and fueled by his personal interest in nature photography. He has experience in environmental impact studies with a focus on fauna, as well as in geoprocessing, statistics, and data analysis applied to conservation.
Currently, he works as a biologist and field coordinator for the Semente Project at the Grande Sertão Veredas National Park, where he leads wildlife monitoring efforts and contributes to the development of conservation strategies for the Cerrado ecosystems.