Nicole Duplaix (born 1943) is a French American

zoologist Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and d ...

, ecologist, teacher, and photographer who specializes in studying otters.

Biography

Duplaix first begin working with otters while volunteering at the

Bronx Zoo The Bronx Zoo (also historically the Bronx Zoological Park and the Bronx Zoological Gardens) is a zoo within Bronx Park in the Bronx, New York. It is one of the largest zoos in the United States by area and is the largest metropolitan zoo in ...

. She earned her master's degree at the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

in 1966 and 1968. She later studied giant otters in South America. Over two years in this study she managed to identify 249 different individuals. She also helped Suriname officials learn how to preserve giant otters, though they still face endangerment there today and in the rest of South America. She later returned to the University of Paris to complete her PhD. Her 1980 dissertation focused on the giant otters of Suriname's Kaboeri Creek and the phylogeny of the 13 species of otters. She also is a co-founder of

TRAFFIC Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation. Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffi ...

in 1973 which monitors the trade in wildlife worldwide. There are now over 16 TRAFFIC offices around the world which have played a major role in documenting and curbing illegal animal trade. In 1974 she created the IUCN-SSC Otter Specialist Group for the International Union of Conservation for Nature. Today the Group has over 300 members dedicated to global otter conservation. Duplaix lives in Oregon and is a senior instructor at

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering c ...

's Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.

References

External links

Personal websiteNicole Duplaix
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duplaix, Nicole 1943 births Living people 21st-century American biologists French zoologists University of Paris alumni French women biologists Women zoologists 20th-century American women scientists American zoologists American women biologists 20th-century French women French emigrants to the United States 21st-century American women scientists