Itsaso Vélez del Burgo, winner of the Nat Award 2023
The Nat Award gala was held today. In its sixth edition, the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona has distinguished Itsaso Vélez del Burgo, primatologist and technical director of the Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Centre (CRPL), in the Democratic Republic of Congo, for her work in the conservation of primates in the area and her humanitarian involvement in that country.
The fourth deputy mayor of the Barcelona City Council and president of the General Council of the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona, Jordi Valls, awared Itsaso Vélez de Burgo, also accompanied by Carles Lalueza, director of the Museum. Jordi Valls wanted to recognize the winner for her primate conservation and humanitarian work in a country ravaged by war and defended the need and urgency for the planet to make a commitment to knowledge, science, preservation of biodiversity and emerging regenerative economy. In this context, Vélez de Burgo gave the conference Challenges for the conservation of the great apes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where she put into context the endangered situation of the species in the area.
The Nat Award was created in 2018 to commemorate the Museum’s 140th anniversary. It is an award endowed with 5000 euros that distinguishes individuals or institutions that have brought a new look to the dissemination of natural sciences and have contributed to the creation of scientific vocations and the conservation of nature. The Nat Award is awarded annually to individuals or institutions at local or international level.
This year, the jury of the award, which has considered the work of the primatologist, has been formed by Mònica Artigas, journalist, deputy director of the Magazine Area of National Geographic; Carlota Bruna, influencer and environmental and animal rights activist; David Bueno, director of the Chair of Neuroeducation at the UB; Carles Lalueza, director of the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona; Gemma Marfany, professor of Genetics at the UB; and Juli Peretó, professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the UdV.
Itsaso Vélez del Burgo
Itsaso Vélez del Burgo is currently the technical director of the Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Centre (CRPL) located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She arrived in 2014 to volunteer for six months and has been working at this institution for nine years, where 129 chimpanzees and 126 monkeys of 16 different species live, as well as parrots, tortoises and porcupines.
Itsaso Vélez del Burgo graduated in environmental sciences from the University of Barcelona (UB) and later took a Master’s degree in Primatology at the Faculty of Psychology, also at the UB. From a very young age she was already very sensitive to all kinds of fauna, she looked for insects that were in trouble to save them and dreamed that when she grew up she would work with animals; they all seemed interesting to her. After finishing her studies in Barcelona, she went to Mexico, to the Tropical Research Centre of the University of Veracruz, to do research on howler monkeys (2011-2012) and, later, she went to the Nimba Mountains, in the Republic of Guinea, to study the behaviour of wild chimpanzees (2012-2013) for the Kyoto University Primate Research Institute (KUPRI).
At the CRPL, Vélez del Burgo studies primate behaviour, participates in several research projects, raises funds for the sanctuary, and is responsible for financial management, dissemination and management of the staff of fifty-five people, only three of whom are expatriates.
