Dr. David Prötzel

Responsibilities

David Prötzel joined BIOTOPIA in 2021 as a Scientific Associate for Education.
David Prötzel is a teacher for biology and chemistry at a secondary school (Gymnasium) as well as a scientist specialized in amphibians and reptiles. Parallel to working at the Gymnasium Bad Aibling he achieved his PhD’s degree at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (ZSM) on the taxonomy and biology of Madagascan chameleons. In close collaboration with other taxonomists from the ZSM he conducted field work in Madagascar and described several new chameleon species. Furthermore, he discovered fluorescence in chameleons and a new fluorescence mechanism in a gecko species. These phenomena met broad public interest, which was reflected in worldwide media coverage. Since 2020 he is a member of the IUCN/SSC Chameleon Specialist Group to support their conservation.