Corentin Schürch
Master student in biology
corentin.schurch@unine.ch
Interests
Since I was a child, I grew up partly in the countryside, which gave me an early appreciation for nature, animals, and wild environments. I also enjoy learning and exploring, which naturally led me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology at Neuchâtel. During this degree program, I had the opportunity to undertake a research project (APP) on black-and-white colobus monkeys in Uganda, which allowed me to discover tropical environments, for which I developed a real passion. To explore these fascinating ecosystems, I was fortunate enough to join the Caméléon Center Conservation to work on a project in Madagascar about the world’s largest chameleon, the Parson’s chameleon
Master’s Thesis Project
The Parson’s chameleon (Calumma parsonii), considered as the largest chameleon in the world, has been classified as “Near Threatened” (NT) on the IUCN Red List since 2011. Although it is not yet critically endangered, it could become so if environmental pressures continue, particularly deforestation, agriculture, hunting, and logging, which lead to habitat degradation, fragmentation, and loss. As of now, these threats have been considered in a general sense for the species. However, recent observations suggest that its two subspecies may inhabit ecologically distinct environments: C. parsonii parsonii appears to be able to use more open and anthropogenic environments, such as fruit trees, while C. parsonii cristifer seems to be strictly tied to primary forests. This difference could imply divergent sensitivities to environmental pressures, justifying taxonomic revision and leading to more targeted conservation efforts
Therefore, my project aims to create a detailed ecological profile of C. parsonii parsonii in the Vohimana Reserve, in collaboration with the Caméléon Center Conservation. The goal is to document the characteristics of the habitats frequented by this subspecies by comparing primary forests with fruit tree plantations, particularly avocado trees. The objective is to understand the extent to which these cultivated environments can provide favorable conditions for the species, identifying key ecological parameters such as food availability and perch structure.
