I'm thrilled to be attending & presenting my Namibian leopard research at the upcoming Colorado State University and Pride Lion Conservation Alliance Pathways Africa 2020: Human Dimensions of Wildlife Conference 16-19 February in Kenya, the theme this year is 'Open the Door to Diverse Voices'. The Pathways Conference brings together academics and practitioners from all over the world to discuss critical conservation issues and share innovative solutions! #wildlife #conservati

There are a lot of volunteering opportunities out there and it can be hard to choose which one is right for you. It is important that you fully research your shortlist, check their website and social media or attend an event. It is good to chat to previous volunteers to get the inside story. It is important that you are clear on what activities you will be involved in, how often and over what time scale as well as your financial contribution before and during. This will mean

National parks are critically important areas for wildlife as they provide protection and space. Tourism generates income for the parks which supports their continuous management. My brown hyaena research took me to Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa. The park, with its high mountains, deep valley lakes and spectacular wildlife allows tourist to self-drive inside the park at a relatively low entrance fee. This enables and encourages visitors of all budgets to enjoy the w

It is always more fun when volunteers help you with the more stinky jobs of your project. We created a scent trail for the brown hyaenas to follow by dragging a smelly piece of meat on a wire along the road so we could photograph individuals at our waiting camera traps. As scavengers brown hyaenas have an excellent sense of smell so for us the smellier the drag the better! #adventure #volunteering #travel #wildlife #Africa

Joining a research expedition, giving your time, can be a great way to contribute to conservation efforts, meet like minded people and explore new areas. I was a scientific team leader for 4 years as part of my brown hyaena research. Volunteers would join the project throughout the year. This allowed me to quickly collect data that alone would have taken considerably longer. Their much needed financial contribution also helped to purchase equipment. I enjoyed their willingnes

Knowing where to start to build a career in conservation can sometimes feel a bit daunting as there many different routes and choices. I decided that volunteering on a conservation expedition would be the best way forward. Before heading to university, I went to Southern Tanzania for three months during which I would get involved in a variety of different survey techniques from vegetation and small mammals to butterflies and fish counts. I lived in a simple camp next to a riv

2019 marks my 19th year of working in international conservation. I feel that this milestone needs to be celebrated, I'll be doing this by looking back over my time in conservation, the lessons I've learnt, challenges I've faced as well as the charismatic species and people I've worked with. Each thread has interwoven together creating an amazing mosaic of professional and personal experiences. My hope is that by sharing my experiences it will inspire others to get involved i