Cynthia Mapendere a Zimbabwean conservationist doing her MSc in Environmental Ecology with the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is interested in the dynamics and implications of human and wildlife interactions.
I have always been passionate about conservation. This is probably because I grew up on the fringes of Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. I am constantly on the lookout of opportunities to improve my chances of making an impact in the field of conservation.
Video: Cheetah Conservation In KwaZulu-Natal
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Growing in a typical third world country and having had the privilege of interacting with conservationists from other parts of the world has made me aware how far behind my country lags in using technology to address conservation challenges. I therefore hope I will be able take advantage of this SCGIS honor to improve and update my GIS skills..
One of my long term goals is to be an influential figure in conservation practice in Africa and beyond. Thus, I relish the chance to indulge my creative side in the dynamic world of conservation and be able to come up with new initiatives and push for policies that promote effective conservation of wild species in the region and the whole world.
Despite my current epidemiological work, I recognize the need to broaden my understanding of how fellow conservationists in other countries tackle problems similar to mine. The SCGIS training and conference will thus allow me to interact with like-minded individuals and have a better understanding of conservation on a broader scale. It will surely equip me with practical skills to effectively contribute to conservation in Zimbabwe and hopefully build future collaboration with other attendees.
It is now clearer than ever to me that GIS and related technologies are important in conservation science. I have been exposed, minimally though, to what GIS software can achieve and it is my desire to be proficient in its use. Coming from a third world country where the application of technology is limited, I feel it is the duty of young and budding conservationist like myself to introduce new technologies into the main stream administration of resources. This can only be achieved if I am proficient in the use of the software and I am conversant with the terminology, theories and equipment involved.
Most of what I know is self-taught. I obviously lack deeper theoretical understanding of various concepts. I feel the SCGIS program will fill that gap in my knowledge of GIS and Its potential to aid in conservation.
My career goal is to make an impact in the conservation landscape in my country. I strongly believe GIS technologies will be crucial in my being able to achieve that target. I relish a chance to be exposed to the cutting edge of GIS technologies and be able to shape new initiatives and push for polices that promote effective conservation of wildlife and habitats in my home country,Zimbabwe.
By meeting experts in GIS in conference and workshops, I have seen how far behind Zimbabwe is in technology. As a country we have an opportunity to tap into existing knowledge to improve our livelihoods. As a passionate conservationist, I am interested in technologies such as GIS that we can use to effectively utilise resources countrymen. Among many, one of the key challenges has been the absence of effective policies focused on protection of wild species and habitats. Another challenge is the lack of trained and experienced personnel in the field of conservation. Most of the available personnel seem to have the adequate academic achievements in this field. However, most lack the appropriate practical skills and experience needed to make meaningful contribution to conservation. In this regard, I have found it necessary to seek adequate training and experience needed to be effective in the field of conservation. I therefore strongly believe that the abundant expertise at your institution is a useful starting point in transferring technology to my fellow countrymen.
The determination, it took me to successfully complete several academic programs I have undertaken thus far and other research projects, has ignited a work ethic which I strongly believe will help me to successfully complete and derive the maximum benefit I can from the GIS Training Programme. I strongly believe that from the training, I will gain practical skills needed to contribute effectively to conservation research and action in Southern Africa and beyond. I am a resourceful and resilient person and I am proud of the way I have developed as a researcher and conservationist. I can describe myself as an enthusiastic conservationist who is hardworking, adaptable and results oriented.
HISTORY: With GIS, most of the knowledge I have is self-taught. I often assist when there undergraduate students who need help on their assignments. My passion to learn more has seen me attending a month long course offered by Tropical Biology association course in Madagascar Kirindy. This course was a real eye opener as it exposed me to conservation challenges outside Zimbabwe. It also exposed me to a number of research methods that I even use in my current study. I also got to mingle with other young scientists from different parts of the world. The program provided a unique forum through which I was able to build links with experts in conservation and other like-minded biologists.
In 2017, other conservation oriented activities I carried out include volunteering in a community conservation project called the Ndumo Community project in the KwaZulu Natal Province of South Africa. Its main goal is to stimulate young minds to consider conservation related careers and also to disseminate knowledge on nature conservation.
In the past I have been affiliated with some organizations in my home country. At CNRS I was a student and was responsible for preparing field equipment as well as data entry and statistical analysis. I also compiled reports at the end of the month for the Hwange National Parks Authorities and the reports included maps for easy understanding. I was also an integral member of the team that did outreaches in the local communities in a bid to promote biodiversity conservation awareness. One of our mandates at CNRS was to conduct weekly awareness campaigns. This was a way of curbing poaching. I would create some of the biodiversity conservation lessons and quizzes. I was the team leader for these campaigns since I was fluent in the local language. Our target audience was high schools students but we were able to make a huge impact that we were even invited to address community leaders. Though this was a small project, I am confident that I am a good leader as I do not shy away from taking initiative and I am resourceful.
In 2013 I joined Cheetah conservation project Zimbabwe. My involvement at Cheetah conservation project was through a cheetah survey whose aim was to get an estimate of cheetahs in Zimbabwe; this was done through a questionnaire. I was actively involved in interpreting for Dr. Van Deer Meer as the some of the personnel where not conversant with English.
Another one of my duties were to teach primary school kids about conservation as well as talking to tourists about the conservation project we were running. I excelled in this and now I am very confident in standing in front of a class and talk. This has proved to be a valuable lesson since I am now frequently giving talks to community members in my study area and I have also presented at symposiums and international conferences.
Last but not least, I have successfully completed a course in lead auditing. Having had a chance to work with a number of conservation oriented institutions, I have come to understand the need to preserve the environment and also ethical environmental stewardship.
Close collaboration between multiple parties is required to ensure the success of an operation such as this. The two 20-month old female cheetah were donated by Welgevonden Game Reserve, where there is a thriving cheetah population.
Each of the cheetah sisters were fitted with a new Wildlife ACT VHF collar, which also allows for GPS fixes every 2 hours. African Wildlife Vets provided transport and veterinary support, and the Endangered Wildlife Trust, as coordinators of the cheetah metapopulation, assisted with a vehicle, cheetah transportation crates and the necessary permits.
The iconic Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), with support from Wildlife ACT, has a new pack of Endangered African Painted Dogs released into their new home. This is an important milestone in the conservation of this species as they are the most endangered carnivore in Southern Africa, with an estimated 3000-5000 individuals left in the wild, of which only ~550 individuals are found in South Africa.
Due to its large size (90 000 hectares at the time) and numerous conservation successes, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park was chosen as the first reserve to reintroduce African Painted Dogs back into KZN. The Park received its first pack in 1980, consisting of 9 members. Since then, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has seen great success in boosting their numbers.
Even as a student, Yadvendradev Jhala dreamed of the day when cheetahs would once again roam India. The big cats formerly shared the landscape with tigers, leopards, lions and wolves, but they disappeared 70 years ago as human development and hunting ramped up.
Some experts contend, however, that the reintroduction plan is premature. Any cheetahs released into the park will quickly stray outside its boundaries, they warn, where the big cats will likely be killed by people or dogs or succumb to starvation.
Tasked with identifying sites for a possible reintroduction, Jhala and colleagues honed in on Kuno, and by 2012, negotiations were underway with Namibia to import a first batch of cheetahs. But then, the Indian Supreme Court intervened, passing a judgment stating that Kuno should be prioritized for reintroducing Asiatic lions rather than cheetahs, and that any cheetahs eventually brought to India should come from Iran, not Africa. be457b7860
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