Chrishen Gomez is a conservationist at the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU). Hailing from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Chrishen has spent over 4 years living and working in the rainforests of Borneo. For his doctoral research, Chrishen is studying Borneo’s apex predator, the elusive and little-known Sunda Clouded Leopard. Beyond his impressive fieldwork experience, Chrishen is also a conservation geneticist, studying how genetics and genomics can inform conservation action. He is also a talented videographer, having filmed for the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme in 2023.
How on earth does one end up catching clouded leopards (for science) in primary rainforests for a job? What’s life like in the jungle and what are Chrishen’s wildest experiences? How do genetics and genomics fit into conservation and why are they important? What implications do new genetic advances have for big cat and pangolin conservation? What considerations should you have when choosing a species to focus on and how do you ensure you have the biggest impact possible? What are Borneo’s biggest conservation challenges? Why is banning palm oil a ridiculous idea? Is there such thing as sustainable palm oil? What advice would Chrishen give to his younger self?
Listen on and I guarantee that all shall be revealed in this enlightening and adventurous episode of The Jamie Bolam Podcast! So, don your jungle boots, grab your DNA sequencer, and join us for a wild adventure into Borneo’s rainforests and the world of clouded leopards!
Extra stuff:
Follow Chrishen on Twitter >>> https://twitter.com/KaripapGomez
Check out our amazing research group, WildCRU! >>> https://www.wildcru.org/
Sign up to my FREE newsletter at https://jamiebolam.substack.com/
Follow me on Instagram @jamie.a.bolam
