PI
Dr. Yuval Itescu
I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology at the University of Haifa, Israel, where I explore how human activities reshape natural environments and how species adapt to these changes.
My research mainly focuses on the (often interacting) effects of urbanization, biological invasions, isolation (both natural – in insular systems, and human-driven), climate change, and other anthropogenic-driven processes, on biodiversity dynamics, eco-evolutionary processes, and conservation at different scales.
I have the privilege of studying animals in their natural habitats worldwide – and I get to call it work. Not a bad deal! To know more you can check out my Google Scholar and ResearchGate profiles.
Lab Manager
Ishai Hoffmann
I joined the lab in December 2024.
Before that I did my Msc on pollination in the University of Haifa (under Prof. Amotz Dafni) and then worked for 18 years as a research technician in Mitrani Department for Desert Ecology, in Ben-Gurion University in the Negev (Midreshet Ben-Gurion).
My current research examines the ecological processes underlying invasive plant dispersal through animal-mediated mechanisms, focusing on the case of Oxalis pes-caprae.
Ph.D. candidates
Klil Shahar
I’m a Ph.D. student in the lab Since March 2025. I received my B.Sc. in biology and my M.Sc. in ecology and nature conservation, both from Ben Gurion University.
I have always been passionate about protecting nature. My love for birdwatching has led me to appreciate the wildlife found everywhere around us, not just “out in the wild”. For my M.Sc. thesis, I tracked the movement of an invasive bird in the Negev desert.
My current research explores the effects of war on wildlife diversity in human settlements and their vicinity. Specifically, I focus on an area of northern Israel that was temporarily evacuated during the war of 2023-2024, and aim to understand how this change in human presence and activity may have impacted the diversity and behavior of reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Gal Fischbein
(co-supervised by Prof. Dan Malkinson)
I have always been interested in the environment’s impacts on the individual’s activity and behaviour, and their effect on neighbouring communities.
I’m a PhD candidate in the lab Since October 2025. I study anthropogenic noise restrains as a part of long-term urban ecological monitoring project, mostly focusing on vocalizing reptiles. I am interested in understanding how noise affects urban wildlife to be able to mitigate its negative impacts on city life for humans and local animal species alike.
I’ve finished my masters’ degree in Zoology from Bar Ilan University, studying Rock hyrax vocalizations.
Yehuda Samuel
(co-supervised by Prof. Dan Malkinson)
I Joined the lab in October 2025. My PhD research explores mammal behaviour in urban environments and aims to identify effective intervention strategies.
During my MSc, I investigated the movement patterns of golden jackals to inform rabies management efforts. I am interested in carnivore behaviour and the ecological dynamics of human-wildlife interactions.
Outside of my research, I love reading books, spending time with my daughter, and producing my own podcast
M.Sc. candidates
Neri Blas
I’m a Master’s student in the lab Since October 2024.
I received my bachelors degree from the open university, in life sciences. I have always been fascinated by the natural world, and in recent years I have been attracted to learn more about the human-animal influences and interactions.
My research is about the impcats of novel environments on gecko defence strategies, through field experiments and citizen-science data analyses.
(*Neri basically runs his own lab within the lab, managing an army of undergrads).
Yaniv Glazer
In October 2024 I started my M.Sc., investigating the reproductive and trophic biology of the invasive gecko Tarentola annularis in Israel, to understand its success and impacts.
I have always been fascinated by nature and wildlife, whether as a kid that raised diverse animals including reptiles, birds, amphibians and various insects or while captivated watching Nat Geo Wild.
My main research interests include ecology, wildlife conservation and studying human impacts on the natural world surrounding us.
B.Sc. students
2025- Liya Harel (Tel Hai University): The impact of human presence on fear response in Laudakia vulgaris
2025 Daria Barzilay (Open University): The rate of morphological change as a function of time since invasion
2025 Sabrina Yashaev (Open University): Defense-related morphology of Wall geckos in urban and rural areas
2025 Shani Atia (Open University): Defense-related morphology of House geckos in urban and rural areas
2025 Tehila Ben Lulu (Open University): The impact of urbanization on defensive behavior of House geckos
2025 Tal Regev (Open University): Evaluating citizen science photos as a source for reliable morphological data
Alumni
Janis Wolf (Postdoc 2025-2026)
Janis was a postdoc in the lab in 2025-2026. He did his MSc in Freie Univesität Berlin with Prof. Jonathan Jeschke and Prof. Christian Voigt (where he met Yuval and worked with him), and did his Ph.D. in the University of Graifswald.
In the Itescu lab Janis studied the global patterns of urban affinity in mammals.
He is now back in Greifswald doing a second postdoc.
Human Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics 