Wildlife & Birding Guide | Conservation Field Assistant
Full Name: Petrik Israel Runtuwene
Date & Place of Birth: Batutajam, February 25, 1997
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning – Sam Ratulangi University, Manado (Class of 2015 – Graduated)
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Patric was born and raised in Batutajam, North Sulawesi, and now lives in Batu Putih, Bitung, at the edge of the Tangkoko–Duasudara Nature Reserve. Growing up near this extraordinary Wallacean forest sparked his lifelong passion for wildlife, ecology, and conservation.
He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Sam Ratulangi University, where his academic background provided him with a strong foundation in land use planning, environmental management, and sustainable development — principles he now applies in his work as a guide and conservation field assistant.
Over the past few years, Patric has collaborated with several local and international birding tour operators, assisting as a local guide and bird spotter for visiting birdwatchers, researchers, and wildlife photographers.
Since 2023, he has worked with the Rockjumper Birding Tours team as a local field bird spotter and habitat guide, helping to locate and identify endemic and rare bird species across the forests of Tangkoko. His deep knowledge of forest habitats and bird behavior has made him one of the most reliable local guides in the region.
In addition to his work in Tangkoko, Patric has also been involved as a bird spotter for a local tour agency during a birding trip in Halmahera, assisting in locating and identifying endemic Maluku species — expanding his field experience across the Wallacea region.
Patric also participated in a vegetation identification research project alongside a local researcher who had previously worked with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), contributing to habitat assessment and data collection in forest plot areas.
He holds certifications from the University of Washington (USA) and Sam Ratulangi University through the Field Course in Conservation Biology & Global Health (2023), the Ecotourism English Course (2024–2025) supported by Selamatkan Yaki, Dublin Zoo, and CERZA Conservation (France), as well as the Tour Guide Capacity Development Training (BKSDA North Sulawesi, 2023).
For Patric, guiding is more than just showing wildlife — it’s about building awareness, inspiring conservation, and connecting people to the true beauty of nature.
> “Every step in the forest is a chance to discover, and every discovery is a reason to protect.”