Blogs

We google, we analyze reports, read scientific papers, follow trends and calculate stats on the well-being of the planet’s flora and fauna, all the while judging and contemplating communities attempting to coexist with wildlife. We often romanticize working in these regions, however being far removed from the realities of the hardships and unpredictability of working in these spaces. We had... more

The last day of field work is often bittersweet for us, blending the lingering excitement of new discoveries with a tinge of regret that comes from knowing that in just a couple of days, the splash of the Milky Way across the Southern Cross will no longer be our bedtime ceiling, and our morning wake-up will be the beep of... more

Recently, I had the opportunity to join a group of intrepid students and professors who were making Botswana their classroom. The incoming flight from Maun to Xakanaka gave a spectacular perspective of the region. While it is considered winter right now (the dry season), one could see an incredible amount of water in intricate networks interlacing the region. From this... more

Since transferring camp yesterday was tough, we woke up groggy and rolled out of our bed rolls at 6 am. After eating a quick breakfast, all of us hopped into our assigned field vehicles and sped off. No matter how tired we were, everyone was excited because today was the day we would see meerkats! I was in Gareth’s Land... more

Time and time again (and I myself am guilty of this) people fall victim to tunnel vision, succumbing to the perception that most problems have one cause. It’s easy to brainstorm possible solutions when you ignore vital aspects of the conflict, but these solutions do not address the entirety of the problem, and as a result, they often fail to... more

The morning was eventful, starting with a mini-game drive before we departed Moremi Game Reserve. One of the first things we saw was a Great White Pelican, standing alone in shallow water. Mothusi, our guide, told us that pelicans are really fascinating birds because they are able to catch a fish and subsequently squeeze the water out of their mouth,... more

Today was a day of observations, which means we got to see a little bit of everything as we traversed the delta. But, today was especially memorable because it is the first (and only so far) time we have seen a lion! I came on this trip with an appreciation for all wildlife, but a strong drawing to these majestic... more

The sun rose on our first day in Makgadikgadi National Park and even though I had received a full 10 hours of sleep I found myself glued to my bed mat. We had been in Botswana for two weeks and the fatigue of changing campsites for the fourth time had set in. We had just gotten in from Maun the... more

One of the major themes of this course has been human-wildlife conflict in areas where there are no clear (if any) boundaries between wilderness and human existence. While a notable portion of conflict stems directly from human-wildlife proximity, such as crop raiding by pesky elephants, nature is often caught in the middle of the conflicting interests of humans. Of the... more

We were all hoping to see large predators, but they are typically active at night, when you don’t want to be out roaming around in these ecosystems. When you do see them during the day—for instance the lions and leopards we observed on occasion—they rarely do anything then other than sleep or otherwise rest up for their night-time hunting forays... more