Pelayo Salinas de León
Co-Principal Investigator - Shark Ecology & Conservation
Pelayo is a biologist, explorer, and underwater photographer committed to ocean protection and shark conservation. He has been a senior marine ecologist with CDF since 2012, and from 2016 to 2021 he was part of National Geographic Pristine Seas, contributing to its mission of helping to protect our ocean’s last wild places. He is currently combining his role as Principal Investigator of CDF’s shark ecology project with his work with several international foundations.
Pelayo earned a Master's degree inhttps://ec.linkedin.com/in/pelayo-salinas-de-le%C3%B3n-884b9512 environmental management in 2007 and a Doctorate in marine biology in 2010 from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Before fulfilling his dream of working in the Galapagos, he worked in Indonesia, New Zealand, and Cuba.
Author of over 70 scientific publications, Pelayo explores the biodiversity and beauty of some of the most remote places on the planet during his international expeditions, contributing to their protection. Some of his recent expeditions include the Ogasawara Islands and the Marshall Islands.
Pelayo is a passionate advocate for ocean conservation and science communicator. His scientific work has been featured in documentaries and articles in international magazines, including ‘NatGeo Wild Galápagos’, ‘BBC Galápagos’, or ‘The Shark Side of the Moon’.
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https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Xy9Cf6IAAAAJ&hl=en
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Ocean
Shark Ecology & ConservationSharks have thrived on our planet for over 400 million years. Yet overfishing has drastically reduced global shark populations, with many species now threatened with extinction. Our scientific work seeks to inform conservation measures, so sharks are better protected in Galapagos and the Eastern Tropical Pacific.