Bruno found a teenager selling a three-month-old fennec fox in a village in southern Tunisia.
The pup was from a litter that he had dug out of a den in the Sahara Desert. Catching or killing wild fennec foxes is illegal in Tunisia, but it is still widespread. Bruno was working on a long-term project to investigate the issues facing endangered species in the Sahara. He gained the confidence of villagers in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco and discovered widespread wildlife exploitation, including the hunting and capture for commercial trade and traditional medicine. He also discovered that the causes, and therefore the solutions, are complex. Contributory factors include high unemployment, poor education, lack of enforcement of conservation laws, ignorant tourists and tour companies, habitat destruction, and the sociopolitical legacy of the Arab Spring revolts. But Bruno is convinced that change is possible. He believes that thought‑provoking images can help raise awareness among tourists and highlight what’s happening to the Sahara’s fragile environment.
Italy
Bruno is a biologist and a professional nature photographer with specialist knowledge of mountain ecosystems and wilderness conservation. His images are widely published in national and international media. Author of three books, he is a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, Wild Wonders of Europe photographer and frequent speaker at international events.
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