Meet Our Team

Lily-Arison is the National Director of The Peregrine Fund’s Madagascar Program. He was the first Malagasy to join this project in 1992 when he was a student. At that time, he obtained his Master’s degree performing raptor surveys in the Masoala Peninsula, the biggest lowland rainforest left in Madagascar. He defended his PhD in 2002 on three species of hawks in Masoala. He has been interested in biology and ecology on birds and on habitat management. Lily has received multiple prestigious awards such as Conservation Heroes by Disney Wildlife Fund in 2010, EC50 class by Explorers Club in 2023, Buffett Awards for Leadership in Conservation in 2023 by National Geographic, and Indianapolis Prize in 2025 by Indianapolis Zoo.

Marius joined The Peregrine Fund Madagascar program in 2005. He graduated with degrees in Animal Biology and Ecology as well as in Conservation Biology. As the Scientific Coordinator, he is always willing to help his colleagues and the students advance the conservation of Malagasy biodiversity with his skills and experience. He assists program Director Lily-Arison in the Madagascar Program management, from design to supervision of the conservation and research project actions. During his free time, he likes travelling with friends and family, enjoying nature and landscapes.

Anja studied finance and administration at the IMGAM University of Madagascar from 2005 to 2008. From 1997–2017, she was a volunteer for Madagascar Save Our Natural Wealth, an association that preserves the environment. After 15 years in banking, she decided to join The Peregrine Fund as Administrative Coordinator in October 2024, eager to contribute to environmental conservation. She is responsible for all the program’s administrative tasks as well as some accounting entries. She is captivated by nature and wildlife, and she especially loves dogs.

After completing a program at the National Institute of Accounting and Business Administration (INSCAE), Andrianarjaona obtained his Specialized Diploma in Business Administration and Accounting in 1988. All along his career, He has held financial responsibility for several projects with FAO, UNDP, European Union, and the World Bank. During three decades, he had the opportunity to receive additional professional training in consulting techniques, project monitoring and evaluation, project auditing, and general project management. He joined The Peregrine Fund in 2014 and has brought his experience as a Financial Manager to effectively manage the financial resources of various funding partners. This enabled The Peregrine Fund to prepare various financial reports, implement the administrative and financial procedures manual, and support both internal and external audit processes conducted by donors. He is motivated to work within a sustainable and efficient framework, earning and maintaining the continuous trust of the project's financial partners.

Gilbert began his journey with The Peregrine Fund Madagascar Project as a student supervisor, later advancing to the role of Data Manager after earning his Master's degree in 2001. He obtained his PhD in 2011 and his HDR in 2021 from the Faculty of Science at Antananarivo University. Since 2010, he has served as a wetland coordinator, focusing on habitat protection and sustainable management. His interests span biology, ecology, and conservation, with a strong emphasis on community-based conservation. He has always been deeply fascinated by birds of prey, integrating his passion into his work in environmental stewardship.

Since her childhood, Stéphanie has been fascinated by wildlife, especially raptor species. She studied the Bat Hawk (Macheiramphus alcinus anderssoni) in Madagascar for both her Master’s and PhD degrees with The Peregrine Fund. During her research, with the help of local communities, her interest for public awareness grew. In the meantime, she took various workshops and trainings on communication in science and audiovisual grounds. She started her work as Communication Officer at the Peregrine Fund Madagascar Project in 2020, ensuring the spread of information about conservation activities to locals, partners, and a larger Malagasy people audience. Outside of her conservation work, she is also committed to inspiring people to protect the environment through her art by acting, composing, and performing music.

Pruvot was a student intern at The Peregrine Fund from 2015 until 2020, for his Master’s and PhD degrees. His study focused on biology and ecology of two Endangered waterbird species: the Sakalava Rail (Zapornia olivieri) and Madagascar Pond Heron (Ardeola idea), for Master’s and PhD, respectively. He has worked for The Peregrine Fund’s Madagascar Program since 2020 as a Research Biologist. He helps with research activities in Madagascar, using research results to guide strategies and action plans for the conservation of different studied species. He currently works as the Site Manager of the Tsimembo Manambolomaty Protected Area, coordinating activities for the conservation and management of biodiversity and natural resources of the site as well as continuing the bio-ecological research on birds. For his professional development, Pruvot is eager to develop his skills and to intensify his knowledge by attending various workshops and training, such as the DESMAN course in the UK, to obtain competence on advanced methods, approaches and tools of conservation biology.

Armand holds Master’s and PhD degrees from Biodiversity and Tropical Environment of the University of Toliara, Madagascar. In the Bemanevika Protected Area, in northern Madagascar, he studied the Madagascar Serpent-eagle for his Master’s and the effect of tropical rainforest fragmentation on bird species for his PhD. He currently works for The Peregrine Fund’s Madagascar Program, continuing his biological research on birds. He is the site Manager for Mandrozo Protected Area on the west coast. He has conducted several bird surveys in various sites of Madagascar. His interests include biodiversity conservation and biological research, adaptive management to climate change, sustainable use of natural resources, local community development, and environmental education.

Radoniaina joined The Peregrine Fund in 2016 as a student intern, conducting research on coastal and marine birds along Madagascar’s west coast, in parallel with the national monitoring of the Madagascar Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides). He obtained his Master’s in Biodiversity and Tropical Environments from the University of Toliara in 2018, and is currently pursuing a PhD focused on lemur community ecology in the Mahimborondro and Bemanevika Protected Areas. Passionate about nature conservation, he combines strong scientific expertise with extensive field knowledge, acquired over years of continuous collaboration. He was hired with The Peregrine Fund in January 2024; and he currently plays a key role in the implementation of management activities, ecological monitoring, and community commitment within the Mahimborondro Protected Area.

It was in high school that Heritiana developed an interest in biology, which led him to pursue university studies in natural sciences. There, he quickly became aware of the major issues related to biodiversity conservation. He got his PhD in 2023 and became a primatologist and Data Officer at The Peregrine Fund Madagascar. In his current role, he brings together scientific expertise and data management to help protect the most endangered species, while actively supporting field research and conservation initiatives. Today, he aspires to be one of the country's conservation leaders, sharing his knowledge and experience to support efforts to protect Malagasy wildlife and ecosystems.

Fabrice is a biologist with The Peregrine Fund’s Madagascar Program. He studied plant biology and ecology at the University of Antananarivo. In 2019, he joined The Peregrine Fund as an intern and conducted a study on the use of plants and the sustainable management of natural resources in intervention sites. As his passion for research and conservation grew, he also developed a keen interest in other scientific fields, such as ornithology and primatology through hands-on experience. The Peregrine Fund has always provided a strong foundation for professional growth, allowing him to explore his interests in photography, Quantum GIS (Geographic Information Systems), and computer maintenance. Fabrice started a full-time job with the program in January 2024 and he currently serves as the Manager of the Bemanevika Protected Area. He leads a field team and oversees restoration, research, and ecological monitoring activities.

Tolojanahary joined The Peregrine Fund team in 2002 as an intern, studying the reproductive biology of the Black Kite in the western part of Madagascar. After completing his study, he was assigned to assist students in their fieldwork with other raptor species. In 2007, he became a research assistant in Bemanevika, where he actively participated in the study of the nesting behavior of the Madagascar Pochard, newly rediscovered by the team. From 2010 to 2013, he worked as the assistant to the manager of the newly established Mandrozo Protected Area, focusing on the conservation of the Madagascar Fish-eagle in collaboration with the local community. In 2013, he returned to Bemanevika and Mahimborondro to become the site manager, a role he took on just before the areas received their official protected status in 2015. With an academic background in biology and a professional shift toward conservation, he has gained extensive experience in biodiversity preservation. Being the person responsible for implementing the project’s goals on the ground, his main goal is to share his knowledge and skills with the new biologists and conservationists on the team.

With over 15 years of experience in conservation, Michel is a dedicated and experienced professional. His academic background—a PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences with a focus on Physical Geography—along with his hands-on experience and professional training, have helped him build a strong career in community-based conservation. By regularly meeting with community members—the key players in conservation—and other stakeholders during fieldwork, he has strengthened his knowledge and skills. As a Community Mobilization Officer, he is highly committed to involving local communities and partners in efforts to protect biodiversity. He actively takes part in workshops, writes reports, and publishes scientific articles in academic journals, focusing on community conservation and the economic benefits of protected areas for local communities. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys playing football, hiking, and going on forest excursions.

In 2004 and 2005, Donatien studied the biology and ecology of the Madagascar Cuckoo-hawk (Aviceda madagascariensis) in Ambatovaky, research that was funded by The Peregrine Fund as part of his postgraduate diploma. He joined The Peregrine Fund staff in 2008 as the Assistant Manager of the Mandrozo site. He held the position of site Manager of the Complexe Tsimembo Manambolomaty site from 2010 to 2021. From 2022 to present, he is the Fitantanana Maharitra Holovainjafy Program Coordinator in the North, a DEFRA program funded by the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund. He participated in various training programs focused on the transfer of natural resource management and the management of local associations in order to strengthen his expertise in natural resource protection within the Protected Areas managed by The Peregrine Fund.

From an early age, Juliot has been deeply fascinated by nature; he is driven by a keen curiosity to understand the mechanisms behind the behaviors and functions of various animal and plant species. This passion led him to pursue a Natural Sciences track and later specialize in Biology and Animal Conservation. He got his PhD in 2014 and joined The Peregrine Fund staff where he started as the Mandrozo Site Manager, before being a program coordinator in Bemanevika– Mahimborondro sites. Juliot is now the Research Manager of these northern sites. He wishes to further broaden his knowledge in ecology and its various challenges and to actively contribute to the conservation of Malagasy ecosystems.

Jean Marius is a Malagasy biostatistician and infectious disease modeller, currently serving as IT and Data Officer at The Peregrine Fund in Madagascar. He holds a PhD in Biostatistics from Sorbonne University, with research focused on modelling malaria and COVID-19 dynamics. With over 10 years of experience, including a decade at the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, he has worked extensively on data-driven public health and ecological research. He also lectures in applied statistics at the Ecole Supérieure Polytechnique of Antananarivo and has authored numerous scientific publications. His work bridges epidemiology, environmental health, and conservation, supporting data-informed decision-making across disciplines.