Entry #7: Exploring the Birds of Indonesia with Panji Gusti Akbar

Panji Gusti Akbar is an ornithologist that worked with Opwall at
our Sulawesi field site in Indonesia from 2017-2019. Panji became
passionate about birds when he moved from the bustling capital
city of Jakarta to the smaller town of Yogyakarta where he had
much more access to nature. He went on to study biology, becoming
a skilled field researcher who has worked with academics from all
over the world to identify and protect rare species of birds
across Indonesia. Today, he works as a travel writer and bird
guide, and is adamant tourism can help protect some of the
world's most unique species. In this episode, we discuss how
Panji helped advance Opwall's research in Sulawesi, his hopes for
the future of conservation in Indonesia, and how to stay safe as
a wildlife researcher.