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For more than a decade, Peter Houlihan has lived and worked in tropical rainforests around the world. Peter's studies have spanned butterfly conservation, coral reef ecology, primate behavior, insect phylogenomics, tropical forest biogeochemistry, biodiversity monitoring, and orchid pollination. 

Throughout the years, Peter has held a variety of research positions and spent considerable time throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He is passionate about engaging and interacting with communities where he works, sharing his scientific results, and inspiring others to have a greater understanding of our natural world; to communicate these messages, Peter speaks Spanish, KiSwahili, Bahasa Indonesia, and is learning Malagasy. He is also a  member of the Society for Conservation Biology's Diversity Committee, aimed at working to engage a broader community of students and professionals in conservation science.

Tree climbing in Madagascar

At the Florida Museum of Natural History, Peter is investigating the interactions between hawkmoth pollinators and orchids. As a National Geographic Explorer, Peter is leading research expeditions into some of the most remote jungles of Madagascar. Closer to home, he is working towards the conservation of rare and endangered ghost orchids, in Florida and throughout the Caribbean.

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Exploring Isla Coiba in Panama

In 2009, he co-founded BRINCC, a conservation organization aimed at protecting the livelihoods, wildlife, and tropical rainforests within a threatened region of central Borneo. Peter serves as a Director for BRINCC and leads expeditions into some of the most remote rainforests in the world. Peter is affiliated with numerous other NGOs on Borneo, particularly including The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project (OuTrop), for which he advises on projects concerning biodiversity monitoring. As part of his research on predator vs. prey interactions, Peter was filmed in Borneo for a David Attenborough documentary series called, "Conquest of the Skies 3D."

For more on Pete's research and adventures, follow him on Instagram & Twitter.  

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