Jamal Galves has been passionate about protecting wildlife since his childhood. He started his work with manatees in 1998 at age 11, as a volunteer, with renowned manatee scientists Dr. James “Buddy” Powell and Robert “Bob” Bonde, participating in manatee health assessments in Gales Point Manatee – his home village. Jamal’s volunteerism in the field of manatee conservation continued throughout his formative years and now functions in the capacity of Program Coordinator for the Belize Manatee Conservation Program. For his work in manatee conservation, Jamal has published scientific papers and has received awards such as the Belize National Hero Award and Oceana’s Ocean Hero Award. Additionally, he has been named a National Geographic Explorer and Natgeo PhotoArk Edge Fellow, a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow Awardee, World Wildlife Fund Planet Hero, Caribbean Emerging Wildlife Leader, Explorers Club top 50 people changing the world and received the Wildlife Conservation Society Christensen Conservation Leadership Scholarship. He recently graduated with a Masters in Coastal Science and Policy Degree Program at the University of California Santa Cruz, where his research looks at utilizing the endangered Antillean manatees of Belize as a flagship species to safeguard critical coastal habitats. Jamal is in the process of developing one of Belize’s first marine rescue and educational centers, a Clearwater Marine Aquarium facility that will rescue, rehab and release marine mammals as well as provide an educational avenue for the next generation of marine conservationists.
Expertise
Manatees, Marine Mammals, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Belize, Marine Health, Program Management, Coastal Science and Policy, Ocean Education, Youth Engagement
Affiliations
- Master’s in Coastal Science and Policy, University of California, Santa Cruz
Awards and Fellowships
- Belize National Hero Award
- Oceana’s Ocean Hero Award
- National Geographic Explorer
- Natgeo PhotoArk Edge Fellow
- Rotary Paul Harris Fellow Awardee
- World Wildlife Fund Planet Hero
- Caribbean Emerging Wildlife Leader
- Explorers Club top 50 people changing the world
- Wildlife Conservation Society Christensen Conservation Leadership Scholarship
