Francesco Romano Nardelli (born 5 September 1953 in Rome, Italy, where he currently lives) is an Italian naturalist who has dedicated his life to the protection and conservation of endangered species.
He is also the co-founder, with John Aspinall, of the Sumatran Rhino Project,[1] one of the most important coordinated efforts to save a critically endangered species.
That project was and remains a collaborative effort involving – for the first time – national governments, local agencies, European and Asian conservation centres and international zoological institutions to save this species from extinction.
[9] Nardelli's commitment to the protection and conservation of Sumatran rhinos inspired him to write “The Rhinoceros” (Basilisk Press, London) [3] a monograph featuring coloured plates by renowned wildlife artist Matthew Hillier,[10] describing the life and history of the five surviving species of rhinoceroses.
Nardelli regularly contributes articles to British, Italian, and Indonesian magazines and newspapers on the themes of conservation [11] and protection of endangered species [12] As an aquarium hobbyist, he is an accredited “Master of Natural Layouts” of the Soto Zen School.