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I am a biologist with an interest on wildlife conservation. I have done research in mammals and birds, and my main interest is the study and conservation of Neotropical primates. My first investigation in this field was about red howler monkey density and home range size at a National Park in Colombia. After this, I did my MSc. dissertation applying GIS to the selection of priority areas for conservation of spider monkeys in Colombia. I coordinated two conservation programs in two endangered primate species in Colombia (Ateles hybridus and Saguinus leucopus) from 2005 to 2009. I have also done research on the phylogeny and phylogeography of Mesoamerican spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi and Ateles fusciceps) to try to understand their evolutionary history and contribute to their conservation.

Since 2011 I became a mom and I hope my kids get to enjoy wildlife the way I have been fortunate to do. To ensure the protection of Colombian threaten ecosystems and fauna is of great importance to me and to the Foundation I have the privilege to co-found and be a part of.

Alba Lucía is involved in the following Foundation’s projects:

Academic background and experience

  • Academic background

    Biologist from the National University of Colombia; M.Sc. Primate Conservation fem Oxford Brookes University. Ph.D. in Physical Anthropology from New York University.

  • Professional experience
    • Adjunct Professor. New York University. Fall 2012. Class: Primate Life Histories
    • Adjunct Professor. Lehman College, CUNY. Spring 2012. Class: Human Variation
    • Adjunct professor. New York University. August 2006-May 2011. Classes: Human evolution and Human Origins.
    • Coordinator of the Spider Monkeys Conservation Program 2005 to 2008. Fundación Biodiversa Colombia.
    • Coordinator of the Silvery Brown (Saguinus leucopus) conservation program 2005 to 2009. Fundación Biodiversa Colombia.
    • Director of Fundacióniodiversa Colombia 2005. Bogotá Colombia
  • Publications

  • Books
      • Blair, M.E. and A.L. Morales-Jimenez. 2013. Population genetics, molecular phylogenetics, and phylogeography. In Sterling, E.J., Bynum, N., and M.E. Blair, eds. Primate Ecology and Conservation: A Handbook of Techniques. Series in Techniques in Ecology and Conservation. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, pp. 238-256
      • Morales-Jimenez, A. L., Rodriguez, C. L., Vejarano, S. & Ospina, O. (2008) Programa Nacional para la Conservación de la Especie Endémica de Colombia Titi Gris (Saguinus leucopus), Bogotá, Ministerio del Medio Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial.
      • Morales-Jimenez A.L., F. Sanchez, K. Poveda & A. Cadena. 2004. Guía de Mamíferos terrestres de Colombia. Bogota, Colombia
      • Lopez-Arevalo H. F., A. L. Morales-Jimenez, M. D. Escobar, M. M. Carmona 2004. Impacto, de la industria piscícola sobre las poblaciones de Águila pescadora (Pandion haliaetus) en Latinoamérica In: VI Congreso Internacional sobre manejo de Fauna Silvestre en la Amazonía y Latinoamérica, Iquitos. Libro de Resúmenes, VI Congreso Internacional sobre manejo de Fauna Silvestre en la Amazonía y Latinoamérica. p.37
  • Scientific papers
        • Morales-Jimenez, A.L., Cortes-Ortiz, L., Di Fiore, A. (in press). Phylogenetic relationships of Mesoamerican spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi): Molecular evidence suggests the need for a revised taxonomy. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
        • Morales-Jimenez, A.L., Disotell, T., Di Fiore, A. (in press). PRevisiting the phylogenetic relationships, biogeography, and taxonomy of spider monkeys (Ateles sp.) in light of new molecular data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
        • Bairrao Ruiva, E., Carroll, J. B. & Morales-Jimenez, A. L. 2005. The silvery-brown tamarin (Saguinus leucopus) conservation project. Neotropical Primates, 36-39
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