Mariana Altricher | Prescott College
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Mariana Altricher

Ph.D,. M.S.
Academic Statement

Mariana Altrichter is a native of Argentina, lived in Costa Rica for over five years, and in the US since 2001. She received her Master of Science in Wildlife Conservation from the National University of Costa Rica and her Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Arizona. Mariana has been doing biological and sociological research for the last 25 years on conservation of biodiversity, use of wildlife by rural and indigenous people, and the interactions between macroeconomics and local people's livelihoods. She has published over 30 scientific papers, books, and book chapters. She has also become more interested in environmental education as an important approach to cultivate early environmental literacy. She created an environmental education program for children in Prescott and has published in the field since 2004.  

Mariana has an active international research agenda addressing anthropogenic changes in the neotropics, and indigenous people and environment interactions, Her recent research projects include the use and conservation of wildlife in an Indigenous Reserve in Costa Rica, the effects of economic policies on biodiversity and local peasants´ livelihoods in the Argentine Chaco and the conservation status of peccaries in Latin America.

Mariana promotes the interdisciplinary understanding of social-ecological systems and an approach to education that forms broadly- and deeply-thinking, compassionate students through transformative-experiential education. She believes that interdisciplinary teaching helps to empower students to comprehend environmental and social problems as interlinked and as part of larger scales of complex historical, political and economic dynamics.

Mariana has taught undergraduate courses at the University of Arizona and the University of Redlands and graduate level field courses for the Organization for Tropical Studies (University of Duke). Since 2011 she has been teaching undergraduate courses at Prescott College, and mentoring master and doctorate students for Prescott College, Townson University, and several Latin American universities.

Professional Affiliations

  • Chair of the IUCN Peccary Specialist Group
  • Member of the EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered Species) Community: Research and conservation initiative of the Zoological Society of London
  • Focal Authority for the ICUN Red List and country coordinator of the Peccary Specialist Group of the ICUN
Education
  • Ph.D. School of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Arizona.  Natural Resources and Cultural Anthropology. 2005.
  • MSc. Regional Program for Mesoamerica and the Caribbean, National University of Costa Rica. Wildlife Conservation and Management. 1997.
  • BS. Natural Sciences School, National University of Cordoba, Argentina. Biological Sciences. 1994.
Expertise
  • Teaching experience:
  • Prescott College, Arizona. Master of Arts Program. Graduate Mentor. 2010-present.
  • Prescott College, Arizona. Environmental Studies and Cultural & Regional Studies. 2010-present.

Teaching on campus and field-based international courses for Cultural and Regional Studies and Environmental Studies programs, advising students, and directing masters and senior thesis.

Courses taught:

    • Conservation biology
    • Tourism, conservation and culture in Massailand, Kenya
    • Globalization and Environment in Latin America
    • Urban-wildland interface
    • Eco-tourism and Community-based Conservation in Costa Rica
    • Conservation of Biodiversity and Indigenous Cultures in Mexico
  • OTS (Organization of Tropical Studies). Coordinator and professor: Conservation Through the Lens of Indigenous People. Costa Rica, August 2013.
  • OTS (Organization of Tropical Studies). Invited professor: Tropical Ecology and Conservation. Costa Rica, February 2013.
  • University of Redlands, Environmental Studies Center. Assistant professor. 2006-2010.

Teaching on campus and field-based international courses for Latin American Studies and Environmental Science programs, advising students, participating on curriculum design, university governance and directing senior thesis projects.

Courses taught:

    • Restoring The Earth
    • Living Green
    • Development and Environment in Latin America
    • Ecology for Environmental Scientists
    • Sustainable Development in Latin America
    • Conservation in Practice
    • Community organization and Conservation in Costa Rica
  • University of Arizona. 2004 - 2005.
    • TA Molecular and General Biology.
  • University of Arizona. June 2003, 2005.
    • Field course: Tropical biology & nature photography in Costa Rica.
  • OTS (Organization of Tropical Studies). June 2000.
    • TA Tropical Biodiversity.
  • OTS (Organization of Tropical Studies). January-March 2000.
    • TA Tropical Ecology and Conservation.
  • WWF, National University of Costa Rica. 1999.
    • Conservation & Ecology of Oceanic Islands. Coco’s Island, Costa Rica.
  • Córdoba Committee on Nature Conservation. 1990-1993.
    • Environmental Education.
  • United Nations Environmental Program. 1989-1992.
    • Elementary & High School Environmental Education.

 

Publications

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

 

Caruso, F.,   M. Altrichter et al. 2018. Humans and Jaguars-New insights into the role of social factors in an old conflict. In press. Oryx.

Pacheco, L., Altrichter, M. et al. 2018. Economic Growth as a Major Cause of Environmental Crisis: Comment to Ripple et al..  BioScience 68 No. 4.

Camino, M., Cortez, S.  Altrichter, M. &  Matteucci, S. 2018. Relations with wildlife of Wichi and Criollo people of the Dry Chaco, a conservation perspective Ethnobiology and Conservation 7:11.

Munoz, A.R., Torres, R., Giordano, A., Quiroga, V., Thompson, J., Baumann, M., Altrichter, M., et al. 2018. Habitat loss and overhunting synergistically drive the extirpation of jaguars from the Gran Chaco. Diversity and Distributions. 1-15.

 Kuemmerle, T. M. Altrichter, G. Baldi et al. 2017. Forest conservation: Remember Gran Chaco.  SCIENCE 355: 465.

 Altrichter, M. et al. 2016. Situación de conservación del pecarí del Chaco o tagua (Catagonus wagneri): distribución, aptitud de hábitat y viabilidad poblacional. Paraquaria  4(2):30-39.

 Briceño-Méndez, M., E.J. Naranjo, S. Mandujano, M. Altrichter & R. Reyna-Hurtado. 2016. Response to hunting by two sympatric species of peccaries (Tayassu pecari and Pecari tajacu) in Calakmul, Mexico.  Tropical Conservation Science, in press.

 Camino, M., Cortez, S., Cerezo, A & M. Altrichter. 2016. Wildlife conservation and perceptions of different co-existing cultures. International Journal of Conservation Science 7:109-122.

 Reyna-Hurtado R., H. Beck, C. Chapman, A, Keuroghlian, M. Altrichter et al., 2015. What ecological and anthropogenic factors affect group size in white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari)? Biotropica.

 Altrichter, M. & F. Carbonell. 2013. Efectos de la cacería en la Reserva Indígena Talamanca Bribrí-Cabécar, e importancia del Parque Internacional La Amistad, Costa Rica. Revista Latinoamericana de Conservación 3(2): 38–47.

 Stoker, P., C. Willett, M. Altrichter & P. Sherman. 2012. Use of habitats by coyotes (Canis latrans) in Joshua Tree National Park, California. The Southwestern Naturalist, 57(2): 214-216.

 Altrichter, M. 2011. Importance of wildlife as a source of food for indigenous people in Talamanca, Costa Rica (Spanish). Biocenosis, 25: 1-2.

 Altrichter, M. et al., 2011. Range-wide declines of a key Neotropical ecosystem architect, the Near Threatened white-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari. Oryx, 46(1): 87-98.

 Gongora, J., C. Biondo, J. Cooper, A. Taber, A. Keuroghlian, M. Altrichter. et al., 2010. Revisiting the species status of Pecari maximus van Roosmalen et al., 2007 (Mammalia) from the Brazilian Amazon. Bonn Zoological Bulletin, 60: 95-101.

 Altrichter, M. & X. Basurto. 2008. Effects of Land Privatisation on the Use of Common-pool Resources of Varying Mobility in the Argentine Chaco. Conservation and Society, 6(2): 154-165.

 Altrichter, M. 2008. Assessing potential for community-based management of peccaries through common pool resource theory in the rural area of the Argentine Chaco. AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment‏, 37 (2): 108-113.

 Altrichter, M., G. Boaglio & P. Perovic. 2006. The decline of jaguars Panthera onca in the Argentine Chaco. Oryx, 40: 302-309.

 Lopez, M., T., M. Altrichter, E. Eduarte & J. Sáenz. 2006. Nutritional aspects of the diet of the white-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica. Biología Tropical, 54: 687-700.

 Altrichter, M. 2006a. Wildlife in the life of local people in the Argentine Chaco. Biodiversity and Conservation, 15: 2719-2736.

 Altrichter, M. 2006b. The sustainability of subsistence hunting of peccaries in the Argentine Chaco. Biological Conservation, 126: 351–362.

 Peri, J., M. Altrichter, R. Cudney-Bueno, J. Gulick, & M. Hershdorfer. 2005. Computer Recycling: Networks and Possibilities for Expansion in Tucson, Arizona. Arizona Anthropologist, 16.

Altrichter, M. & G. Boaglio. 2004. Distribution and abundance of peccaries in the Argentinean Chaco: its associations with human factors. Biological Conservation, 116: 217-225.

 

Book Chapters

 

Altrichter, M. et al. 2018. Peccaries; conservation and management. Chapter 26. In: Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wild Pigs and Peccaries. Cambridge University Press.

 Altrichter, M. et al. 2018. Chacoan Peccary. Chapter 23. In: Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wild Pigs and Peccaries. Cambridge University Press.

 Altrichter, M. et al. 2018. Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu). Chapter 24. In: Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wild Pigs and Peccaries. Cambridge University Press.

 Beck, H., A. Keuroghlian, R. Hurtado, M. Altrichter & L. Gongora. White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari). Chapter 25.   In: Ecology, Conservation and Management of Wild Pigs and Peccaries. Cambridge University Press.

 Caruso, F. Perovic, P & M. Altrichter. Actitudes y percepciones sociales ante el jaguar (Panthera onca) en el noroeste Argentino. Ch 23. In: Castaño-Uribe C., C. A. Lasso, Hoogesteijn R. y E. Payánn-Garrido (Editores). Conflicts between felines and humans in Latin America. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá, D. C., Colombia.  349-361 pp.

 Gilbert, L.E. Altrichter, M. et al., 2016. Pacific Lowland Forest. In: The Ecosystems of Costa Rica. M. Kappell & L. Diego Gomez (Eds.) Chicago Press Book. 2016.

 Taber, A., H. Beck, S. Gonzalez, M. Altrichter, M. Barbanti, & R. Reyna-Hurtado. 2016. Conservation’s orphans –threatened livelihoods: Neotropical forest ungulates. In: Tropical Conservation: Perspectives on Local and Global Priorities. Oxford University Press.

 Pacheco, L. Buchori, D. Altrichter, M. et al. 2016. Conservation as the new paradigm for development. In: Tropical Conservation: Perspectives on Local and Global Priorities. Oxford University Press.

 Di Bitetti, M., M. Altrichter et al., 2016. The jaguar in Argentina. In: Jaguars on the Edge: an assessment and perspectives of jaguar continental conservation. Fondo de Cultura Económica, México.

 Altrichter, M. 2008. Assessing potential for community-based management of peccaries through common pool resource theory in the rural area of the Argentine Chaco. AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment‏, 37(2): 108-113.

Presentations

Presentations within the last 5 years

 

  1. Caruso, F., M. Altrichter & P. Perovic. 2015. Social perceptions about protected areas and their impact on jaguar conservation in northern Argentina. National Conference on Protected Areas, San Juan, Argentina.
  1. Camino M., S. Cortez, M. Altrichter & S.D. Matteucci. September Evaluation of participatory sampling as a wildlife research tool in the Argentinean Chaco (Spanish). XXV Meeting of the Argentinean Society of Mammals. Lujan, Buenos Aires. 
  1. Beck, H. & M. Altrichter. February 2012. Raising our Visibility: How to Disseminate Species Assessments to a broader audience. IUCN / SSC Chairs’ meeting. Abu Dhabi.
  1. Camino M., S. Cortez, M. Altrichter, S.D. Matteucci. May Application of a wildlife monitoring participatory research in the Argentinean Chaco (Spanish). VII International conference on Wildlife Management in Amazonia and Latin America. Salta, Argentina.
  2. Altrichter, M. et al. August 2009. Biology, Conservation, Health and Management of Peccaries and Pigs. 10th International Mammalogical Conference, Mendoza, Argentina.
  3. Chalukian, S., A. Taber, M. Altrichter. et al. August 2009. Conservation status of the lowland tapir. 10th International Mammalogical M Conference, Mendoza, Argentina.
  4. Altrichter, M. & F. Carbonell. September Protected areas and indigenous people: consumption of wildlife in La Amistad Biosphere Reserve (Spanish). 2nd Latin-American Conference on Protected Areas. Bariloche, Argentina.

 

  1. Altrichter, M. & G. Boaglio. August 2006. Distribution and conservation status of jaguars in Northern Argentina. National Conference of the Mammals’ Association (Spanish). Cordoba, Argentina.
  1. Altrichter, M. & G. Boaglio. August 2006. Use of wildlife by peasants in Northern Argentina. National Conference of the Mammals’ Association (Spanish). Cordoba, Argentina. 2006.
  1. Altrichter, M. September Current research and conservation projects on peccaries in Latin America. VII International conference on Wildlife Management in Amazonia and Latin America. Bahia, Brazil. 
  1. Altrichter, M. September A Range-Wide Status Analysis of Lowland Tapir & White-lipped Peccaries. International conference on Wildlife Management in Amazonia and Latin America. Bahia, Brazil. 
  1. Altrichter, M. September Evaluating the sustainability of subsistence hunting in the Chaco. International conference on Wildlife Management in Amazonia and Latin America. Bahia, Brazil.
  1. Altrichter, M. June 2005. White-lipped peccary conservation issues in Argentina and Costa Rica. Invited participant to the “Lowland Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and White-Lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari) Range-Wide Geographical Status Analysis and Conservation Priority Setting”. WCS, La Paz, Bolivia.
  1. Altrichter, M. November 2004. Obstacles for the implementation of community-based conservation in the rural Argentine Chaco. VI International Conference on Wildlife Management in Amazonia and Latin America. Iquitos, Peru.
  1. Lopez, M., J. Saenz, M. Altrichter & E. Duarte. November 2004. Nutritional aspects of the diet of white-lipped peccary in Corcovado national Park, Costa Rica. VI International conference on Wildlife Management in Amazonia and Latin America. Iquitos, Peru.
Awards, Grants, & Honors
  • The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund. 2018. Conservation and Environmental education in the Impenetrable, Argentina.
  • The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund. 2015. Creating a Participatory Conservation Planning for the Endemic and Endangered Chacoan Peccary (Catagonus wagneri) in the Gran Chaco.
  • World Land Trust. 2015. Creating a Participatory Conservation Planning for the Endemic and Endangered Chacoan Peccary (Catagonus wagneri) in the Gran Chaco
  • The University of Redlands. Faculty research grant. 2009. Effects of Structural Adjustments in local livelihoods in the Argentine Chaco.
  • Wildlife Trust. Lowland Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and White-Lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari) Range-Wide Geographical Status Analysis and Conservation Priority Setting.
  • The University of Redlands. Faculty research grant. 2007. Effects of Structural Adjustments in local livelihoods in the Argentine Chaco.
  • US Fish & Wildlife Service. 2007-2009. Training local wildlife government agents in Northern Argentina.
  • 2006-2007. Indigenous people and wildlife in the Talamanca Biosphere reserve, Costa Rica.
  • Fellowship Wallace Research. 2000-2005. Ph.D. studies.
  • Federal Office of Veterninarie, CITES Authority, Switzerland, Government of Switzerland. 2000-2005. Potential sustainable exploitation of peccaries in the Argentine Chaco.
  • Servizio Conservazione della Natura, Ministero dell´Ambiente, CITES Italy, Italy. 2000-2005. Potential sustainable exploitation of peccaries in the Argentine Chaco.
  • Idea Wild. 2003. Distribution and conservation status of jaguars in the Argentine Chaco.
  • 2000. Course Oceanic Islands ecology and conservation.
  • Fellowship MUTIS. International Agency of Cooperation, Spain Government. 1995-1997. Master Studies.
  • Fish & Wildlife Service of United States. 1997-1999. Use of natural resources by Rural and Indigenous Peoples Surrounding Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica.
  • 1997-1999. Use of natural resources by Rural and Indigenous Peoples Surrounding Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica.

 

Other small funding: Sigma Xi (2001), Tinker Grant Program for Latin America Studies of U of A (2001 and 2003), Graduate College of U of A (2002 and 2004), Women Studies of U of A (2004), College of Agriculture of U of A (2004).

Coverage in News & Media
  • Fox 10 Phoenix news. Javelina mourning the loss of one of their herd members.
  • De Dodo. In the wild. 8-Year-Old Boy Films Wild Pigs Doing Something Incredible.
  • Humboldt Berlin University Press release. Habitat loss and overhunting. The extirpation of jaguars from the Gran Chaco.
  • The University of Florida. Jaguars rapid decline in Argentina.
  • Mongabay Series: Global Forest Reporting Network. Racing against time’ to save the taguá and its vanishing Chaco home.  
  • National Geographic. Skunk pigs may mourn their dead, footage shows.
  • New Scientist. Sad ‘pigs’ have been filmed apparently mourning a dead friend
  • UK Daily Mail. Wild 'skunk pigs' mourn their dead, footage recorded by an eight year old for his science fair project reveals.
  • Metro news. Pigs may cry.
  • The Daily currier. Do javelinas mourn their dead?
  • Iflscience. Wild Peccaries Filmed Mourning Their Dead For The First Time