WHO WE ARE
A team of professionals who have decided to undertake a new challenge: scientific research for the protection of threatened species and their habitats
OUR PROJECT
TEAM .
Gaia Riscossa
HIPPO ENERGY PROJECT REFERENT
ZooKeeper at the Zoom Turin biopark in the educational sector
Yari Roggia
BEEZOOM PROJECT REFERENT
Responsible for the management of large African herbivores hosted in the Serengeti habitat of the Zoom Torino biopark
Giorgia Ruffa
ANIMAL WELFARE PROJECT
Specialized in the enrichment and management of the primates of the Zoom Turin biopark
Michela Cogo
BEE FRIENDS PROJECT REFERENT
Specialized in school education, she designs and develops the educational offer of the ZOOM biopark in all its forms.
BEEZOOM PROJECT RESEARCHER
Freelancer in the field of biodiversity conservation, he has been dealing with Diptera Syrphidae since 2017
BEEZOOM PROJECT RESEARCHER
Independent postdoctoral researcher in apiculture science, professional beekeeper in Italy and freelance agronomist
ANIMAL WELFARE PROJECT RESEARCHER
Oversees doctoral, masters and graduate projects in EU and US zoos, seeking to improve animal welfare, husbandry and human-animal interactions
BIOMONITORING PROJECT RESEARCHER
Researcher in the field of the behavior of metals in various environmental, food and pharmaceutical matrices
PhD STUDENT BIMONITORING PROJECT
PhD student in Sustainable Development and Cooperation (SUSTNET)
BIOMONITORING PROJECT RESEARCHER
University Researcher and Associate Professor at the University of Turin
THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE .
Valentina Isaja
ZOOM FOUNDATION
ZOOM Foundation Scientific Committee Coordinator
Scientific director of the Zoom Foundation, coordinates conservation projects in nature. She worked for many years in the marine field, first in Greece, at the Department of Biology and Ecology of the "Aristotle University" of Thessaloniki, for research activities on the topic "Coastal Fauna and Flora of the Chalkidiki Peninsula", then in Italy, collaborating with various naturalistic associations in environmental dissemination and with research centers for the monitoring of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea. In 2003 she moved to the Maldives to sample the fauna and corals present in the reef, thanks to a research project by the Bicocca University of Milan, in collaboration with the Universo Acqua Association of Monza. In 2004 she obtained a master's degree at the Bicocca University of Milan, entitled "ISN: Scientific Informer of Nature, the Mediterranean Sea and the Tropics", on the topics: study and monitoring techniques of benthic and pelagic populations, environmental and marine pollution, sustainable tourism , communication and environmental education. In 2005 she began working as a consultant for the Zoom Torino biopark during its construction, and then took care of the management of the animals and their behavior and well-being. In her work at Zoom, thanks to her experience as an educator and researcher, she has structured the educational and research department over the years. Since 2013 she has been a member of the European scientific commission EEP (European endangered species program) for the supervision and research on African penguins in zoological structures in Europe Since 2020 he has been a contract professor at the University of Turin, Dept. of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), teaching the course "Management, Research and Conservation of exotic and wild animals in a controlled environment" for the degree master's degree in ECAU. She also holds various specialist seminars on animal behavior and welfare, on research and conservation in parks, on the planning and methodologies of educational processes.
DEPARTMENT OF LIFE SCIENCES AND SYSTEMS BIOLOGY (DBIOS) - UNIVERSITY OF TURIN
Marco Gamba
Associate Professor of Zoology and researcher in the field of ethology and acoustic communication
He teaches Systematic Zoology at the Degree Course in Natural Sciences, Evolution of Behavior and Techniques and Methods of Ethology within the Master's Degree Course Evolution of Animal and Human Behavior, Evolutionism at the "Ferdinando Rossi" School of Higher Studies of the University of Turin.
President of the Master's Degree Course Evolution of Animal and Human Behavior.
He has been visiting professor at the University of the Comoros, the University of Mahajanga, the University of Antananarivo and the University of St. Andrews.
The fields of his research: evolution of animal behavior and communication, quantitative study of vocal signals in birds and mammals, with particular reference to primates.
In his career he has developed several quantitative approaches for the study of animal behavior and vocalizations including the free open source software BORIS for encoding video and audio files and live observations.
He is a member of the International Primatological Society, of the Italian Primatologists Association and of the editorial boards of Open Acoustics Journal, Italian Journal of Cognitive Sciences, Journal of Comparative Physiology A and review editor of Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution and Frontiers in Veterinary Sciences.
Simona Bonelli
DEPARTMENT OF LIFE SCIENCES AND SYSTEMS BIOLOGY (DBIOS) - UNIVERSITY OF TURIN
Associate Professor of Zoology and researcher in the field of invertebrate conservation
He teaches animal diversity at the Degree Course in Biological Sciences e Conservation of Invertebrates as part of the Master's Degree Course in Environmental Biology
The fields of his research: eco-ethological aspects and restoration ecology, the effect of anthropogenic factors, including climate change, on butterfly populations and in particular of protected or threatened species for the drafting of concrete conservation measures.
In the context of conservation, he has drawn up the first Red List of Italian Butterflies, contributed to the atlas of the Prime Butterfly Areas in Europe, to the Red List of European butterflies and to the Red Data Book of Butterflies of the Mediterranean biogeographical area. It supports the ministry in the drafting of the National Pesticides Plan and in the assessment of the state of health of the species protected by the Habitat Directive.
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Since 2019 he is part of the Board of Butterfly Conservation Europe. He is the Italian coordinator of the Butterfly Monitoring Scheme project. He is a member of the Fauna Commission of the Italian Zoological Union and a member of the IUCN Butterfly Specialist Group. She is co-founder of ALI, the Italian Lepidopterological Association, of which she is secretary. He is a member of the Board of the Unesco Chair for Sustainable Development in Turin.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY SCIENCES (DSV) - UNIVERSITY OF TURIN
Elisabetta Macchi
Associate Professor in Veterinary Physiology and Ethology and researcher in the field of Animal Welfare
He holds teachings in the Single-Cycle Master's Degree in Veterinary Medicine and in the Degree in Production and Management of Animals in Breeding and Wild at the Department of Veterinary Sciences (DSV -UNITO)) and in the Master's Degree Course in Evolution of Animal and Human Behavior (ECAU) at the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (Dbios - Unite)
The fields of his research: behavioral and physiological monitoring of animal welfare in animals in different housing conditions and in wild species (mainly marine and terrestrial mammals) kept in a controlled environment; ecoetological, physiological and endocrine aspects of reproductive biology and welfare in domestic and wild mammals; monitoring of animal behavior and welfare in animals co-therapists employed in education, activities and animal assisted therapies (AAE, AAA, AAT) .
He is a member of the Italian Society of Veterinary Physiology (SO.FI.VET), of the Italian Society of Veterinary Sciences (SISVET) and of the Interdepartmental Center for Research and Scientific Collaboration with the Sahel and West African Countries (CISAO) .
DIRECTIVE .
Andrea Ferrero
President of the ZOOM Foundation
Degree in engineering from the Polytechnic of Turin; career in Miroglio up to the position of CEO for over 4 years; president of the Zoom Turin biopark for 3 years; now president of the ZOOM Foundation
Filippo SaccÃ
Executive Director of the ZOOM Foundation
After years of experience as a Brand Manager at important companies in various commercial sectors, he joined Zoom in 2011, where he held various roles in both the commercial and operational fields; today he is the Marketing and Product Director. Since 2019 he has been a member of the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) educational committee