Team

Stanimira is a bat researcher and caver. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Costa Rica. Stanimira is studying the roosting ecology of cave-dwelling bats in the Brunca region and how the nutrient flux from the guano is influencing the surface ecosystems. Stanimira is passionate about caving - she took part in research expeditions in several countries, including Ukraine, Austria, Turkey, and Panama. Originally from Bulgaria, now she works and lives in Golfito, Costa Rica. 

Gloriana is the senior scientist of the project. She is a behavioral ecologist and bat biologist with 20 years of experience. She is a professor at the University of Costa Rica, Golfito Campus. Her work seeks to understand how the environment influences social aggregations, from how groups are formed, how they are maintained, and the patterns of associations and interactions among group members. Her main research sites are located in the Brunca region of Costa Rica. Gloriana's new passion is the research of the cave-dwelling bats in the Brunca region. 

Angel is a caving instructor and a computer scientist. He is also a software engineer, working from his home in Golfito, Costa Rica. Apart from being a technology genius, Angel is an experienced cave rescuer and a fieldwork enthusiast, taking part in all of the project's field trips. When he is not crawling in the mud, chasing bats and surveying cave galleries, Angel is managing the collected field data and maintaining our website. Angel is a Ph.D. student and assistant professor at the Burgas Free University, where he teaches computer science.

Gustavo Quesada. Gustavo is the leader of Anthros Speleological group - the main partner organization in the project. Gustavo is an experienced caver, caving instructor, and rescuer. During his research career, he organized and participated in numerous caving expeditions in Costa Rica and abroad.  He is responsible for the training of Costa Rican cavers (including our volunteers) and manages the cave rescue team. He is one of the few people, developing extreme sports in Costa Rica and more important - the caving activities in the country are advancing mainly thanks to him. Gustavo is very passionate about cave research and supports our project in any way he can, for which we are truly and deeply grateful.

Carlos, or better known as "Don Charlie" is the founder of the speleology in Costa Rica. At a very young age, he dedicated himself to the mountaineering, speleology, and nature - activities, which he still practices. Carlos spent many decades exploring the caves in Costa Rica, collecting data and creating a valuable database, which he still manages and expands. Any research on the caves in Costa Rica is possible thanks to his efforts. Carlos is an active researcher and writer - he had published scientific articles and books about caves in Costa Rica. He is an official translator for Costarican Spanish and helps us with the texts of the website and information materials. We are honored, that this man is part of our team. 

Cristian is a young bat scientist, currently a Masters student at the University of Costa Rica. He got involved in our project in 2016 as a volunteer but quickly became an important part of our team. Cris is an excellent researcher and biologist with passion for wildlife and especially bats. He participated in cave research expeditions in Costa Rica and Panama, where he demonstrated his knowledge of all tropical critters and his excellent sense of humor. Cristian's research interests include the social networks of disc-winged bats and hopefully ecology of cave-dwelling bats.

During the field trips, we have the wonderful opportunity to work with local volunteers. Our project would be impossible without the help of the people who participate in the activities and give their precious time to support bat and cave conservation. Thank you, guys! We love you!