Giacomo Rosa

Research Fellow, Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa

Focus regions: Palearctic

Giacomo Rosa is a conservation zoologist based at the University of Genoa, Italy. His research focuses on wildlife monitoring, population ecology, and evidence-based conservation of wildlife, mostly amphibians and reptiles. He combines field surveys with advanced statistical approaches, including capture–mark–recapture, hierarchical modeling, and spatial ecology, to address questions related to population dynamics, species conservation, and management effectiveness.

Giacomo has contributed to numerous research and conservation projects across Europe, with particular interests in cave salamanders, reptiles, and threatened Mediterranean biodiversity. His work aims to bridge the gap between ecological research and practical conservation by developing robust monitoring protocols and providing scientific evidence to support management decisions. He has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and is actively involved in international collaborations focused on biodiversity conservation and ecological monitoring.

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Contributions

From the journals

Assessing the sanitary and demographic status of the critically endangered Speleomantes ambrosii

Rosa, G., Dondero, L., Cannata, M., Grasselli, E., Sebastiano, S., & Costa, A. · Journal for Nature Conservation · July 2026

Ambrosi's Cave Salamander (Speleomantes ambrosii), a Critically Endangered amphibian endemic to an area of 500 km² in NW-Italy, is threatened by habitat alteration, climate change, and the pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). We evaluated the status of the most exposed cave populations, combining standardized monitoring with disease surveillance. Using a dependent-double-observer approach, we estimated salamander abundance across several sites and assessed population trend over time. We also screened 45 skin swabs for the presence of Bsal. No salamander tested positive for Bsal, confirming, for now, its absence from the surveyed populations. Abundance was variable among sites, and two caves showed significantly lower estimates than previously reported, suggesting possible local declines. Our research highlights the necessity of standardized protocols to accurately assess population status and provides a baseline for the conservation of S. ambrosii. Ongoing surveys will be fundamental to determine if the observed declines indicate natural fluctuations or potential conservation issues.

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