Cardenosa Echeverri, Diego

Positions

biography

  • Dr. Diego Cardeñosa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University, where his research focuses on addressing illegal wildlife trade and improving conservation outcomes for sharks and rays globally. His work has been pivotal in determining the species composition of the international shark trade, tracing the geographic origins of shark and ray products, and developing innovative, rapid DNA protocols for use by enforcement officers in major wildlife trade hubs. These efforts have directly informed the inclusion of numerous shark and ray species in CITES listings, significantly shaping international wildlife trade policies and contributing to global conservation strategies.

    Dr. Cardeñosa has partnered extensively with INTERPOL and national enforcement agencies in countries including Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, and Hong Kong, where he co-leads the largest shark fin market survey. Additionally, his field-based initiatives incorporate telemetry, environmental DNA (eDNA), and Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) surveys to monitor shark and ray populations, providing critical data for sustainable fisheries management and marine protection programs.

selected scholarly works & creative activities

principal investigator on

full name

  • Diego Cardenosa Echeverri

visualizations