About the talk

This talk focuses on the conservation of great apes in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, framed within the One Health concept, which integrates the health of ecosystems, animals, and people. It will explore how armed conflict, poverty, the need for access to basic resources such as energy, and mineral exploitation directly impact the conservation of African equatorial rainforests—particularly in the Congo Basin and the Rift Valley region. The talk will offer a holistic perspective on how protecting these key ecosystems is deeply intertwined with social stability, equitable access to resources, and sustainable development. It invites reflection on the current challenges and possible solutions for preserving one of the planet’s most vital green lungs.

About the speaker

Luis Flores Girón is the Head of Veterinary Services at the Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Center (CRPL) and an associate researcher at the Lwiro Natural Sciences Research Center (CRSN Lwiro)—a leading scientific institution in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Among his most notable achievements is the co-founding of the CRSN One Health Laboratory in Lwiro, together with a team of Congolese researchers. This regional lab has become a reference center for diagnosis and surveillance of emerging diseases through a global health lens. He currently leads an international project on tuberculosis within the One Health framework and coordinates a research line on monkeypox, launched in response to the outbreak of the new clade 1b in Kamituga (DRC). With over eight years of field experience in eastern DRC, he has collaborated with international organizations such as Gorilla Doctors and the Iván Carter Wildlife Conservation Alliance, making significant contributions to the conservation of critically endangered wildlife and the health management of threatened ecosystems. He has also forged scientific and academic partnerships with prestigious institutions in Spain and internationally, including Avicenne Hospital in Paris (France), Dalhousie University (Canada), the Carlos III Health Institute, IREC, and VISAVET (Spain)—promoting research and training in global health. His main professional motivation is to strengthen the One Health approach by integrating wildlife medicine with biodiversity conservation and public health, particularly in settings of high ecological and social vulnerability.