African Small Carnivore Research Initiatives
- ASCaRIs Head Office, University of Fort Hare, Zoology Building, King William's Town Road, Alice, Eastern Cape, 5700, South Africa
- ascaris.org@gmail.com
MEET OUR TEAM!
ASCARIS comprises of several member categories: Council Members, Core Members, Honorary Members, Scientific Collaborators, Regional Coordinators, Country Representatives, Students, and Field Assistants.
Please stand your ground and watch the horizon, as the ASCaRIs team is coming with full force!
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Council members are people with a great deal of research experience on African (small) carnivores and who tightly collaborated with the Founder over the past years. They discuss and take the strategic decisions related to the organization, but can be assisted by core and honorary members in this process.
Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San
I am an Associate Professor at the Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Fort Hare (South Africa) and the RLA vice-coordinator for Africa of the IUCN SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group. My research essentially focuses on small carnivore ecology and behaviour.
Founder and Executive Director
Prof. Michael J. Somers
I am an Associate Professor at the Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria (South Africa). I am a member of the IUCN SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group. My research is mostly in carnivore ecology and behaviour but also reintroduction biology. More specifically, the next few years I will focus on carnivore burrow use and the interactions among carnivores through the Snapshot Safari – South Africa project.
Dr Philippe Gaubert
I am a researcher at the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), in Montpellier (France). My investigations feed from the interaction between evolutionary sciences and conservation biology. I study the patterns of diversification of African small carnivores across different scales, including phylogenetics, phylogeography and population genetics. I am also interested in integrating high-throughput sequencing approaches for a better knowledge of the evolution and ecology of those species.
Prof. Francesco M. Angelici
I am a mammalogist interested in studying medium and large mammals, i.e. carnivores, lagomorphs and ungulates. My research goes from the study of systematic, taxonomy, phylogeography and phylogeny, to ecology, conservation and wildlife management. My particular study areas are Europe and Africa. I work with universities, research centers, and international conservation societies.
Dr Adam W. Ferguson
I am the Negaunee Collections Manager of Mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago, USA) and a member of the IUCN SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group. My research focuses on the evolution and ecology of small carnivores using data collected from the museum, lab, and field.
CORE MEMBERS
Core members are people with a great deal of research experience on carnivores and who are currently running or planning some research projects on African small carnivores. Some are collaborating with the council members and/or with each other, while others work independently.
Prof. Steven M. Goodman
I hold the position of MacArthur Field Biologist at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago (USA) and Scientific Counselor at Association Vahatra in Antananarivo (Madagascar). My research program on Madagascar dates to nearly three decades, where I have been involved in studies of Malagasy mammals, including euplerid carnivores, and interested in different aspects of their systematics and ecology.
Prof. Géraldine Veron
I am a Professor and a curator of Mammals at the Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France. My research focuses on the systematics, biogeography and conservation of small carnivores, in particular civets, mongooses and Malagasy carnivores.
Prof. Thomas L. Serfass
I am a Professor of Wildlife Ecology in the Department of Biology and Natural Resources at Frostburg State University, and Adjunct Professor at the Appalachian Laboratory, Center for Environmental Science, University of Maryland (USA). Much of my research and conservation activities have focused largely on the design, implementation, and evaluation of wildlife restoration programs andrecovering wildlife populations — particularly mesocarnioves. I am the North American and African Coordinator of the IUCN SSC Otter Specialist Group.
Prof. Aliza le Roux
I am an Associate Professor in zoology at the University of the Free State (Qwaqwa campus), where I also coordinate the new Afromontane Research Unit. My research focuses on the behaviour and cognition of wild carnivores such as Bat-eared Foxes, Black-backed Jackals, and Yellow Mongooses, but I don't discriminate – I like all mammals, including humans (as study subjects). I am always interested in collaborations across sites, and have recently started dabbling in urban ecology.
Prof. Yves Hausser
I am a researcher and practitioner in conservation biology based at the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland, Geneva. I am interested in the interactions (particularly conflicts) between human societies and nature. I have been working in Western Tanzania's Miombo woodlands for a decade. My research combines wildlife monitoring methods, such as camera-trapping, and social sciences methods in order to support the definition of problem-solving approaches to mitigate conflicts and enhance coexistence between people and wildlife. The focus on carnivores became self-evident as they are the most conflict-prone species.
Prof. Dino Scaravelli
I am a freelance zoologist and Adjunct Professor of Wildlife Monitoring Methods in the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences of the University of Bologna. My research fields are addressed to behavioral ecology and the conservation of vertebrates, in particular bats. I have worked on mustelids and other carnivores in Italy and recently also in the Maghreb, where we are trying to develop research on the presence and conservation of some species.
Prof. Zach J. Farris
I am a wildlife conservationist and Visiting Assistant Professor at Appalachian State University (USA). I investigate the influence of anthropogenic pressures (exotic species, forest loss, fragmentation, poaching) on native carnivores in Madagascar, and particularly focus on the effects of exotic predators (dogs, cats, and Small Indian Civets) on the spatial and temporal patterns of native carnivores in rainforest habitat. I co-founded and run the research non-profit Mad Dog Initiative (www.maddoginitiative.com), which carries out cat and dog population control and vaccination programs to help conserve native wildlife in Madagascar.
Prof. Trevor McIntyre
I am a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa. My research mainly focusses on investigating the behaviour and ecology of aquatic and semi-aquatic predators. I also have strong interests in general biologging applications and data analyses.
Dr Nico L. Avenant
I am a small mammal ecologist with a special interest in predator–prey relations. I am Curator, Specialist Scientist and Head of the Department of Mammalogy, at the National Museum, Bloemfontein (South Africa). I am also a ResearchAssociate, post-graduate supervisor and Guest Lecturer at the University of the Free State.
Dr Lynda Sharpe
I am a Research Fellow in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the Australian National University. I spent more than 20 years in the field in South Africa, researching the behavioural ecology of Meerkats and Common Dwarf Mongooses. I am currently taking a (reluctant) break from Herpestids, to assess the impact of rising temperatures on arid-zone birds in Australia.
Dr Alex Sliwa
I am a curator of mammals at Cologne (Köln) Zoo in Germany, teaching courses on biodiversity and zoo biology at the University of Cologne since 2007. I am a member of the IUCN SSC Felid Specialist Group since 1995. My research is mostly in carnivore ecology and behaviour but also captive breeding and reintroduction of felids, being the chair of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Felid Taxon Advisory Group (TAG). While I conducted my dissertation study on scent-marking and mating behaviour in Aardwolf I have since focused on Black-footed Cat ecology and behaviour in South Africa and more recently also Sand Cats and other small carnivores of southern Morocco.
Dr Jason S. Gilchrist
I am a Lecturer at the School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University (UK). As a behavioural ecologist, I am interested in how species fit their environment (their ecological niche). I spent many years studying the social ecology of banded mongooses in the field in Uganda. My interests in small carnivores, alongside other species, extend to evolutionary and conservation biology. My field research has taken me to Uganda, Madagascar and South Africa where I have studied chimpanzees, lemurs, and stress physiology of ungulates. Small carnivores are often overlooked and we need to promote research and conservation wherever possible.
Dr Julie Kern
I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Bristol (UK) and have been studying Africa’s smallest mongoose, the Common Dwarf Mongoose, since 2011. My research uses a combination of behavioural observations and field experiments to investigate vocal communication, social relationships and cooperative behaviour in the species. I have also begun to study how anthropogenic noise (in this case traffic noise) disrupts such behaviour.
Prof. Lourens H. Swanepoel
I am a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Zoology, University of Venda (South Africa). In my research I address several issues related to large and small carnivore biology, ecology and conservation. My research is framed in the context of humans as drivers of carnivore change, while I simultaneously address the impact of carnivores on human activities and natural ecosystems.
Dr Liaan Minnie
I am a Lecturer in the School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga (South Africa).
My research interests include large mammal ecology with a specific focus on carnivore ecology, human—wildlife conflict and predator—prey interactions. I completed my PhD in 2016, which focused on the effects of lethal management on the ecology and population structure of black-backed jackals on livestock farms and reserves. Apart from continuing my research on jackals, I am also developing research projects on otters, mongooses and primates.
Dr Haemish I. A. Melville
I am a Senior Lecturer (Nature Conservation) in the Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa (UNISA). As an ecologist and a wildlife biologist, my research interests lie in community ecology, specifically the interactions within guilds and their combined ecological effects. I am particularly interested in the intra-guild interactions of mesopredators, predator–prey interactions and population dynamics.
Dr Pedro Monterroso
I am a researcher at the CIBIO-InBIO/BIOPOLIS, where I lead a Research Group in Wildlife Conservation Ecology. My research is strongly routed in the “one earth” vision that humanity and nature can coexist and thrive together, and focuses in understanding the mechanisms shaping spatial and temporal biodiversity patterns, the structure of wildlife communities, and how they affect (and are affected by) human population. My research primarily targets mammalian carnivores and their prey, and is mostly focused in Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr Marine Drouilly
I am the regional coordinator for Panthera for West and Central Africa, focusing mainly on the ecology and conservation of Leopards, Lions and African Golden Cats. I am also a research associate with the Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild) at the University of Cape Town (South Africa). My research interests include carnivore ecology, conservation biology and all the multidisciplinary aspects of human—carnivore coexistence. Apart from working in Western and Central Africa, I have research projects in South Africa and in Europe.
Dr Filipe Carvalho
I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Fort Hare (South Africa). I am a member of the IUCN SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group. My research focuses on describing the main drivers of small carnivore coexistence. My focal species are the Cape and small spotted genets. Previously I conducted several studies on small carnivore’s species ecology and in particular on the influence of roads on their functional landscape connectivity (Portugal, Southwestern Europe).
Mr Badru Mugerwa
I am a Ugandan ecologist and conservationist. I am a researcher at the Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation (Uganda) and Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Germany). I am a member of the IUCN SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group. My conservation work focuses on interactions between people and biodiversity. I am a small carnivore enthusiast, particularly the small wild cats. I am the founder of Embaka — saving African golden cats (www.savingafricangoldencat.com) — a community based conservation initiative in Uganda working with local communities through piggery “pig seed banks”, oral health and community policing to improve the lives of local people while reducing the poaching of African golden cats and other wildlife.
HONORARY MEMBERS
Honorary members are highly experienced (in some cases retired) researchers who have substantially contributed to increasing our knowledge on some African small carnivore species. They can be consulted to obtain information on selected species and research topics and techniques.
the late Chris Stuart (MSc) & Mathilde Stuart (Dr med.)
We are independent wildlife researchers, writers and members of the IUCN SSC Afrotheria group, as well as editors of its annual newsletter. Our research until recently has concentrated on mammal biodiversity surveys in Africa but we now also operate in the Americas and Europe.
Dr Paolo Cavallini
I am a professionnal wildlife manager and wildlife biologist who notably studied small carnivores in Italy and Japan (Red Fox) and South Africa (Small Grey Mongoose and Yellow Mongoose). I am a member and past Chairman of the IUCN SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group (2003–2006). I founded FAUNALIA (www.faunalia. eu) and am currently essentially developping free and open source GIS software and providing the corresponding support and training.
SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATORS
Scientific collaborators are project leaders and/or researchers whose work primarily focuses on other vertebrate taxa, but who collaborate with either the council or core members, or periodically run some independent projects on small carnivores.
Prof. Emilio Rendón-Franco
I am a veterinarian and Professor at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (México). My research focuses mainly on the ecology of diseases and eco-immunology of wildlife. I am particularly interested in the sublethal effect of pathogens on vertebrates and the mechanisms of control.
Dr Themb'a Mahlaba
I am a small mammal physiologist/ecologist and Head of the Department of Biological Sciences, University of eSwaniti. I have more than 30 years of experience teaching Animal Physiology, Conservation and Ecology courses, as well as practical work, research and student project supervision in the above fields. My more recent research has been focussed on rodent management in and around homesteads, as well as in agricultural plantations. I have also been involved in projects on small- to medium-sized predators.
Dr Gilbert Proulx
I am a wildlife biologist and Founder and Director of Alpha Wildlife Management Ltd (Canada). My activities focus on forest and agriculture ecosystems: i) searching solutions to conflicts between humans and wildlife; ii) studying the habitat requirements of species at risk and species of economic importance; iii) developing new technology to capture and study animals; and iv) producing textbooks, field guides, and educational material for the public, wildlife professionals and managers.
REGIONAL COORDINATORS
Regional coordinators are members who serve as focal people for queries related to specific regions. They coordinate the collection of records by liaising with country representatives and report to the Executive Director.
Dr Philippe Gaubert
I am a researcher at the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), in Montpellier (France). My investigations feed from the interaction between evolutionary sciences and conservation biology. I study the patterns of diversification of African small carnivores across different scales, including phylogenetics, phylogeography and population genetics. I am also interested in integrating high-throughput sequencing approaches for a better knowledge of the evolution and ecology of those species..
Northern and Western Africa
Prof. Francesco M. Angelici
I am a mammalogist interested in studying medium and large mammals, i.e. carnivores, lagomorphs and ungulates. My research goes from the study of systematic, taxonomy, phylogeography and phylogeny, to ecology, conservation and wildlife management. My particular study areas are Europe and Africa. I work with universities, research centers, and international conservation societies.
Western and Central Africa
Dr Adam W. Ferguson
I am the Negaunee Collections Manager of Mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago, USA) and a member of the IUCN SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group. My research focuses on the evolution and ecology of small carnivores using data collected from the museum, lab, and field.
Eastern Africa 1
Prof. Michael J. Somers
I am an Associate Professor at the Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria (South Africa). I am a member of the IUCN SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group. My research is mostly in carnivore ecology and behaviour but also reintroduction biology. More specifically, the next few years I will focus on carnivore burrow use and the interactions among carnivores through the Snapshot Safari – South Africa project.
Southern Africa 2
COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVES
Country representatives are focal people for queries related to the corresponding countries. They gather national records and report to both the regional coordinators and Executive Director. There may be more than one representative per country, especially for large countries.
Dr Mourad Ahmim
I am a Lecturer–Researcher at the Department of Biological Sciences of the Environment, University of Bejaia (Algeria). I am a member of the IUCN SSC Bat Specialist Group and Small Carnivore Specialist Group, Eurobats, Bat Conservation Africa, and founder and leader of the Algerian Bat Group. My research essentially focuses on wild mammals.
Algeria
Prof. Chabi A. M. S. Djagoun
I am an Assistant Professor at the School of Environment Management, University of Abomey-Calavi (Benin). I am the coordinator of the African Wildlife Conservation and Management Unit for the International Union of Forest Research Organization (UIFRO). I am a local expert on small mammals conservation in Benin and have great expertise in the application of stable isotope ecology.
Benin
Dr Peter Apps
I am a Senior Researcher at the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust. I have a B.A., M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Zoology and 35 years experience in gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. My combined zoological and chemical expertise bears fruit in groundbreaking research into how mammals use chemicals to communicate.
Botswana
Prof. Ara Monadjem
I am a Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Swaziland (Swaziland). My research has mostly focused on small mammals, particularly bats and rodents, although I am commencing studies on the ecology of mesocarnivores soon, starting with the movement ecology of genets.
Eswatini
Dr Philip Henschel
I am Panthera's Lion Program Regional Coordinator within West and Central Africa for Panthera. I am based in Gabon, but recently conducted Lion field surveys in the Sahelian savannahs of Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, and further surveys are planned in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania.
Gabon
Dr Paul Webala
My research at Maasai Mara University focuses on small mammals. I particularly use bats as a focal group to understand and interrogate processes that drive rarity and abundance of mammals in natural and human-dominated environments. I am the co-chair of Bat Conservation Africa and a member of the IUCN SSC Bat Specialist Group.
Kenya
Dr Nico L. Avenant
I am a small mammal ecologist with a special interest in predator–prey relations. I am Curator, Specialist Scientist and Head of the Department of Mammalogy, at the National Museum, Bloemfontein (South Africa). I am also a Research Associate, post-graduate supervisor and Guest Lecturer at the University of the Free State.
Lesotho
Prof. Steven M. Goodman
I hold the position of MacArthur Field Biologist at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago (USA) and Scientific Counselor at Association Vahatra in Antananarivo (Madagascar). My research program on Madagascar dates to nearly three decades, where I have been involved in studies of Malagasy mammals, including euplerid carnivores, and interested in different aspects of their systematics and ecology
Madagascar
Prof. Francesco M. Angelici
I am a mammalogist interested in studying medium and large mammals, i.e. carnivores, lagomorphs and ungulates. My research goes from the study of systematic, taxonomy, phylogeography and phylogeny, to ecology, conservation and wildlife management. My particular study areas are Europe and Africa.
Nigeria
Dr Jennifer F. Moore
I am a postdoctoral associate at the University of Florida (USA), working in Rwanda (and Uganda) in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society, Rwanda program and the International Gorilla Conservation Programme. We work in Nyungwe National Park and Volcanoes National Park to explore mammal communities with a focus on arboreal and nocturnal species such as small carnivores.
Rwanda
Dr Nico L. Avenant
I am a small mammal ecologist with a special interest in predator–prey relations. I am Curator, Specialist Scientist and Head of the Department of Mammalogy, at the National Museum, Bloemfontein (South Africa). I am also a Research Associate, post-graduate supervisor and Guest Lecturer at the University of the Free State.
South Africa 1
CURRENT STUDENTS
Students listed below are either supervised by ASCaRIs members or decided to join the organization to be part of this collective research effort and showcase their work on small carnivores on this website.
Mr Juri Filonzi
I am a PhD student at the University of Fort Hare. My research project is titled "Comparative ecology of the slender mongoose Galerella sanguinea and the small grey mongoose Galerella pulverulenta in Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa". I am supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San and co-supervised by Dr Kim Madikiza and Prof. Dino Scaravelli.
South Africa
Mr Axola Plaatjie
I am an PhD student at the University of the Witwatersrand. My research project is titled "Comparative diets of Cape (Genetta tigrina) and small-spotted (G. genetta) genets in an area of sympatry: evidence for trophic competition?". I am supervised by Dr Kim Madikiza and co-supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
South Africa
Mr Rabelani Marikhele
I am a PhD student at the University of the Witwatersrand. My research project is titled "Disentangling and comparing the diets of Southern African genets with scat analysis, metabarcoding and stable isotopes". I am supervised by Dr Kim Madikiza and co-supervised by Dr Philippe Gaubert and Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
South Africa
Ms Helen Burton
I am an early-career scientist, having graduated from my MSc in Conservation Ecology at Oxford Brookes University (UK). My research project is titled "The diet of small carnivores in a recovering semi-arid ecosystem (Karasburg, Namibia)". I will be working at Oana Namibia, conducting scat analysis for the small carnivores that live in the region, in particular the Cape grey mongoose (Galerella pulverulenta).
Namibia
PAST STUDENTS
Mr Masibulele Xhobani
Masibulele completed his MSc at the University of Fort Hare. His research project was titled "Latrine use by sympatric Cape (Genetta tigrina) and small-spotted (G. genetta) genets in the Great Fish River Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa". I am supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San and co-supervised by Prof. Michael J. Somers.
South Africa
Dr Keafon Jumbam
Keafon completed her PhD student at the Department of Zoology and Entomology, at the University of the Free State, Qwaqwa Campus. Here thesis was titled “Social, ecological and personality factors influencing bat-eared fox foraging behaviour”. She was supervised by Prof. Aliza le Roux.
South Africa
Ms Margarida Franco
Margarida was a MSc student at the University of Évora (Portugal). Her research project was titled "Resting ecology of the small-spotted (Genetta genetta) and Cape (Genetta tigrina) genets in an area of sympatry in the Great Fish River Nature Reserve, South Africa". She was supervised by Dr Filipe Carvalho and co-supervised by Prof. João Rabaça and Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
South Africa
Dr Jarryd Streicher
Jarry completed his PhD degree at the Centre for Functional Biodiversity, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His thesis was titled “The spatio-temporal ecology of two mongooses species across a land-use gradient matrix in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa”. He was supervised by Prof. Colleen T. Downs and co-supervised by Dr. Tharmalingam Ramesh.
South Africa
Mr Axola Plaatjie
Axola completed his MSc degree (Zoology) with Distinction at the University of Fort Hare. His research project was titled "Comparative diets of Cape (Genetta tigrina) and small-spotted (G. genetta) genets in an area of sympatry: evidence for trophic competition?". He was supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San and co-supervised by Dr Filipe Carvalho.
South Africa
Ms Diana Moyo
Diana completed her MSc degree (Zoology) with Distinction at the University of Fort Hare. Her research project was titled "Spatio-temporal ecology of the slender mongoose, Galerella sanguinea, on Telperion Nature Reserve (Mpumalanga, South Africa)". She was supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San and co-supervised by Dr Maartin Strauss and Dr Kim Madikiza.
South Africa
Mr Aaron Onserio
Aaron completed his MSc degree at the Maasai Mara University. His two research subprojects were titled “Small carnivores–human conflict in the Mau Forest – Kenya” and “Comparison of diets between white-tailed mongooses and common genets in the Laikipia Plateaus – Kenya”, respectively. He was supervised by Dr Adam Ferguson and co-supervised by Prof. Paul Webala.
Kenya
Mr Gift Speelman
Gift completed his BSc Honours degree (Zoology) at the University of Fort Hare in 2020. His research project was titled "Occupancy, relative abundance and activity patterns of herpestids and mustelids in the Great Fish River Nature Reserve". He was supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
South Africa
Ms Innocentia Seyama
Innocentia completed her MSc degree (Conservation Ecology) at the University of Eswatini in 2019. Her research project was titled "The resting ecology of rusty-spotted genet (Genetta maculata) in a savannah ecosystem". She was supervised by Prof. Ara Monadjem and co-supervised by Dr Themb'a Mahlaba and Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
Eswatini
Ms Gcinile Ndzinisa
Gcinile completed her MSc degree (Conservation Ecology) at the University of Eswatini in 2019. Her research project was titled "Activity patterns and home range of rusty-spotted genet (Genetta maculata) in a low-lying savanna, Swaziland". She was supervised by Prof. Ara Monadjem and co-supervised by Dr Themb'a Mahlaba and Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
Eswatini
Mr Bantony Ziko
Bantony completed his BSc Honours degree (Zoology) at the University of Fort Hare in 2019. His research project was titled "Latrine site characteristics and selection by genets (Genetta spp.) in the Great Fish River Reserve". He was supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
South Africa
Dr Marine Drouilly
Marine completed her PhD degree at the Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, at the University of Cape Town. Her research project was titled “Characteristics, determinants and management of farmer–predator conflict in a multi-use dryland system, South Africa”. She was supervised by Prof. Justin O’Riain and co-supervised by Prof. Nicoli Nattrass and by Allan Clark.
South Africa
Dr David Mills
David completed his PhD degree (Zoology) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2018. His research project was titled “Ecology and conservation of African forest carnivores: niche partitioning in the absence of apex predators”. He was supervised by Prof. Rob Slotow and Dr Luke Hunter.
Uganda
Ms Julia Zemouche
Julia completed her MSc degree (Zoology) with Distinction at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2018. Her research project was titled "Trophic ecology of rusty-spotted genet Genetta maculata and slender mongoose Herpestes sanguineus in Telperion Nature Reserve, with a focus on dietary segregation as a possible mechanism of co-existence". She was supervised by Dr Kim Madikiza and co-supervised by Dr Maartin Strauss and Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
South Africa
Ms Rouxlyn Roux
Rouxlyn completed her MSc degree (Environmental Science) at the University of South Africa in 2018. Her research project was titled "Spatio-temporal ecology of the rusty-spotted genet, Genetta maculata, on Telperion Nature Reserve (Mpumalanga, South Africa)". She was supervised by Dr Maartin Strauss and co-supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
South Africa
Mr Rowan Jordaan
Rowan completed his MSc degree (Zoology) at the University of Pretoria in 2018. His research project was titled “The foraging ecology of two otter species (Aonyx capensis, Schinz 1821 and Hydrictis maculicollis, Lichtenstein, 1835) in South Africa". He was supervised by Dr Trevor McIntyre and co-supervised by Prof. Michael Somers and Dr Grant Hall.
South Africa
Mr Kanundu Mwarandu Ngumbao
Kanundu completed his MSc degree (Environmental Sciences) at Pwani University in 2018. His research project was titled "Assessment of distribution of small carnivores and their prey in Arabuko Sokoke Forest along the Kenyan Coast". He was supervised by Dr David M. Mburu and Dr Munir Virani.
Kenya
Ms Lilian N. Gakuhi
Lilian completed her BSc (Wildlife Management) at Karatina University in 2017. Her research project was titled “Impacts of anthropogenic disturbance on small carnivore communities in Laikipia, Kenya”. I was supervised by Dr Adam Ferguson and co-supervised by Dr Duncan Kimuyu.
Kenya
Dr Craig Widdows
Craig completed his PhD (Ecology) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2016. His research project focused on the conservation and ecology of urban carnivores. Specifically his thesis was titled “The ecology of large-spotted genets within an urban landscape”. He was supervised by Prof. Colleen T. Downs.
South Africa
Mr Mfundo Bizani
Mfundo completed his MSc degree (Zoology) at the University of Fort Hare in 2014. His research project was titled "Diet of the yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) in the Albany Thicket Biome of South Africa". He was supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San and Dr Kim Madikiza.
South Africa
Mr Vusumzi Martins
Vusumzi completed his BSc Honours degree (Zoology) at the University of Fort Hare in 2013. His research project was titled "Diet of the meerkat (Suricata suricatta) in the Albany Thicket Biome: a comparison with the diet of the yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata)". He was supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San and Dr Kim Madikiza.
South Africa
Dr Akhona Mbatyoti
Akhona completed his MSc degree (Zoology) at the University of Fort Hare in 2012. His research project was titled "Spatio-temporal ecology of the yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata in the Great Fish River Reserve (Eastern Cape, South Africa)". He was supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
South Africa
Ms Aviwe Nqinana
Aviwe completed her BSc Honours degree (Zoology) at the University of Fort Hare in 2010. Her research project was titled "Diet of the marsh mongoose Atilax paludinosus in the Andries Vosloo Kudu Nature Reserve(Eastern Cape Province, South Africa)". She was supervised by Prof. Emmanuel Do Linh San.
South Africa
Dr Tania L.F. Bird
Tania completed her MSc degree (African Mammalogy) at the University of Pretoria in 2005. In 2013 she published "A preliminary survey of the presence and distribution of small carnivores in the Lower Zambezi Protected Area Complex, Zambia", with Clare Mateke. She contributed to the IUCN Red List global conservation status assessments for Meller's and Selous Mongooses. She is currently doing a PhD on coastal dune species conservation.
Zambia
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