Born in Italy in 1973, wildlife biologist, ski instructor and author, Alessandra first came to Africa in 1995 to explore Botswana and Namibia. She attended the International School of Milan from 1978 to 1992 and following her graduation from the University of Milan in Wildlife Biology, she moved to Saadani Game Reserve in Southern Tanzania, where she was involved in a mammal monitoring project and in the managing of an anti-poaching team. Due in part to her work, Saadani has now been upgraded to a National Park and in 2001 she took over the lion project in Tarangire National Park. For over 5 years, Alessandra has concentrated her efforts on lion and human interactions in, and around Tarangire National Park. Her dedication to these unique animals has made a huge contribution to what is known about lions in the Tarangire ecosystem. One of her major goals was implementing the radio-tracking program which has allowed conservation workers and National Park staff to fully understand Lion movements in the Tarangire ecosystem. After setting up a snow leopard project in the Himalayas with the Università degli Studi di Siena and spending two years in Mozambique for the creation of a new protected area, she has been involved in monitoring projects in Tanzania and other African countries.

She is now concentrating her efforts in climate change and sustainable conservation through REDD+ projects (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation). With increasing pressure on land and habitat depletion throughout Africa and across the world, she is focusing on projects that help communities understand that well-planned habitat conservation can improve their livelihoods, mitigates climate change, protects wildlife and enables sustainable economic development.

She has guided filming crews and photographers in Tanzania, engages with the main Italian magazines and TV programs and since 1996, during the winter season, she works as ski instructor in Cortina d'Ampezzo as part of the Scuola di Sci Azzurra.

Alessandra has been the Italian Representative for Peace Parks Foundation and Associate of Carbon Tanzania.

She has consulted for Carbonsink, an Italian company specialized in development of mitigation strategies for climate change from 2019-2021. She has been ambassador for many outdoor brands such as Garmin, Swarovski Optics, Wildroses, Ferrarelle and Rye & Lye.

MAIN PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITIONS:

SOLOS

2006 Ritratti di animali - LP (Cortina d'Ampezzo)

Africa - Castello di Tagliolo (Tagliolo Monferrato)

2007 A piedi nudi - Atellani (Milano)

2008 A piedi nudi - Fondazione Mazzotta (Milano)
- Teatro Barrios (Milano)
- Mondadori (Crema)
- Aemilia Hotel (Bologna)

2009 La mia Africa: immagini e parole - PivArte (Bologna)

2010 La sua Africa - Nextam Partners (Milano)

COLLECTIVES

2008 Sfumature di verde - Museo di Milano (Milano)

Scatti per bene - Sotheby's (Milano)

BOOKS

2007 A piedi nudi (Ed. Pendragon)

2008 Un giorno da leoni (Ed. Piemme)

2014 Questa notte parlami dell'Africa (Ed. Piemme)

AWARDS

Her photographs were finalist at the international contest Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year (2006 and 2007).

In 2008 her novel A piedi nudi won the third place at the literature award Edoardo Kihlgren Opera Prima.

Her novel "Questa Notte Parlami dell'Africa" has been made into a movie (in cinemas 27 October 2022)

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