Wild Science

Dr Vivienne L Williams

School of Animal, Plant & Environmental Sciences

University of the Witwatersrand

Position: Visiting Senior Researcher

Profile on ResearchGate

Profile on Google Scholar

Qualifications: BSc, BSc (Hons) & PhD (Witwatersrand; 2007)

Professional Membership: IUCN SSC Medicinal Plant Specialist Group (from 1995); IUCN SSC Hornbill Specialist Group (from 2018); African Lion Working Group (from 2013)

NRF Researcher Rating: C1 (2017–2022)

Broad Research Themes: trade in Panthera leo bones and derivatives; wildlife trade; ethnobotany, ethnozoology

E-mail: vivienne[at]wildscience[dot]co[dot]za

vivienne[dot]williams[at]wits[dot]ac[dot]za

SACNASP registration: Pr. Sci. Nat., Cons. Sci. [119030]

Freelance academic... Visiting muthi markets in southern Africa since 1992.

A roaring trade? http://www.illegalwildlifetrade.net/2019/04/08/traditional-medicine-and-iwt-in-southern-africa-a-roaring-trade/

Publications

JOURNALS

Williams VL, Burness A & Byrne MJ (2022) Medicinal plants sold by West, Central and East African immigrants in Johannesburg, South Africa. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 77(1): 47–62
Becker MS, Almeida J, Begg C, Bertola L, Breitenmoser C, Breitenmoser U, Coals P, Funston P, Gaylard A, Groom R, Henschedl P, Ikanda D, Jorge A, Kruger J, Lindsey P, Maimbo H, Mandisodza-Chikerema R, Maude G, Mbiza M, Miller SM, Mudongo E, Mwape H, Meetwa T, Naude V, Nyirenda VR, Parker A, Parker D, Reid C, Robson A, Sayer A, Selier SAJ, Sichande M, Simukonda C, Uiseb K, Williams VL, Zimba D & Huner L (2022) Guidelines for evaluating the conservation value of African lion (Panthera leo) translocations. Frontiers in Conservation Science 3: 963961
Bertola LD, Miller SM, Williams VL, Naude VN, Coals PG, Dures SG, Henschel P, Chege M, Sogbohossou EA, Ndiaye A, Martial K, Gaylard A, Ikanda DK, Becker MS & Lindsey P (2022) Genetic guidelines for translocations: maintaining intra-specific diversity in the lion (Panthera leo). Evolutionary Applications 15(1): 22–39
Williams VL, Coals PG, de Bruyn M, Naude VN, Dalton DL & Kotze ́ A (2021) Monitoring compliance of CITES lion bone exports from South Africa. PLoS ONE 16(4): e024930
Coals P, Loveridge A, Kurian D, Williams VL, Macdonald DW & Ogden R (2021) DART mass spectrometry as a potential tool for the differentiation of captive-bred and wild lion bones. Biodiversity and Conservation 30: 1825–1854
Mbongwa NS, Twine WC & Williams VL (2021) Medicinal plant cultivation: Beliefs and perceptions of traditional healers and muthi traders in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 143: 123–132
Williams VL, Wojtasik EM & Byrne MJ (2021) A chronicle of alien medicinal plants used as traditional medicine in South Africa, and their status as invasive species. South African Journal of Botany 142: 63–72
Williams VL, Burness A, Wojtasik EM & Byrne MJ (2021) Dataset, including a photo-guide, of alien plants sold in traditional medicine markets and healthcare outlets in three South African cities, specifically by traders of Indian, West African, East African, and Chinese origin. Data in Brief 38: 107395
Williams VL (2020) Wound occlusion and annual stem growth rates of five woodland tree species in South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 132: 316–327
Glennon KL, White J, Reynolds C, Risenga I, Pillay N, Archibald S, Balkwill K, Byrne M, Cron G, Engelbrecht H, Fisher J, Furniss D, Madikiza K, Matimolane M, Parrini F, Sanders M, Scholes R, Situngu S, Sym S, Twine W, Weiersbye I, Williams V, Witkowski ETF & Woodford D (2020) Misinterpretation of why black students do not pursue studies in the biological sciences. South African Journal of Science 116 (5/6), Art. #7864
Williams VL & 't Sas-Rolfes (2019) Born captive: a survey of the lion breeding, keeping and hunting industries in South Africa. PLoS ONE 14(5): e0217409
Coals P, Burnham D, Loveridge A, Macdonald DW, ‘t Sas-Rolfes M, Williams VL & Vucetich JA (2019) The ethics of human-animal relationships and public discourse: a case study of lions bred for their bones. Animals 9: 52
Cousins SR, Williams VL & Witkowski ETF (2018) Cycad ethnobotany in South Africa: complexities with identifying and quantifying species. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden. 117: 107-123
Williams VL, Loveridge AJ, Newton DJ & Macdonald DW (2017) Questionnaire survey of the pan-African trade in lion body parts. PLoS ONE e0187060. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0187060
Williams VL, Loveridge AJ, Newton DJ & Macdonald DW (2017) A roaring trade? The legal trade in Panthera leo bones from Africa to East-Southeast Asia. PLoS ONE e0185996. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0185996
Byrne MJ, Williams VL & Wojtasik EM (2017) The viability of propagules of alien plant species sold for traditional medicine in South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 109: 281–287
Williams VL & Crouch NR (2017) Locating sufficient plant distribution data for accurate estimation of geographic range: The relative value of herbaria and other sources. South African Journal of Botany 109: 116–127
Meke GS, Mumba RFE, Bwanali RJ & Williams VL (2017) The trade and marketing of traditional medicines in southern and central Malawi. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology 24: 73–87
Williams VL, Moshoeu TJ & Alexander GJ (2016) Reptiles sold as traditional medicine in Xipamanine and Xiqelene markets, Maputo, Mozambique. South African Journal of Science 112(7/8): Art. #2015-0416
Williams VL & Whiting MJ (2016) A picture of health? Animal use and the Faraday traditional medicine market, South Africa. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 179: 265–273
Williams VL, Loveridge AJ, Newton DJ & Macdonald DW (2015) Skullduggery: Lions align and their mandibles rock. PLoS ONE e0135144. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0135144
Williams VL, Loveridge AJ, Newton DJ & Macdonald DW (2015) Traditional medicines: Tiger-bone trade could threaten lions. Nature 523(7560): 290
Williams VL, Cunningham AB, Kemp AC & Bruyns RK (2014) Risks to birds traded for African traditional medicine: a quantitative assessment. PloS ONE 9(8): e105397
Van Vuuren SF, Williams VL, Sooka A, Burger A & van der Haar L (2014) Microbial contamination of traditional medicinal plant sold at the Faraday informal muthi market, Johannesburg, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 94: 95–100.
Williams VL, Cousins SR & Witkowski ETF (2014) From fragments to figures: estimating the number of cycad stems in a muthi market. South African Journal of Botany 93: 242–246
Williams VL, Victor JE & Crouch NR (2013) Red Listed Medicinal plants of South Africa: status, trends, and assessment challenges. South African Journal of Botany 86: 23–35.
Kadu CAC, Konrad H, Schueler S, Muluvi GMM, Eyog-Matig O, Muchugi A, Williams VL, Ramamonjisoa L, Kapinga C, Foahom B, Katsvanga C, Hafashimana D, Obama C & Geburek T (2013) Divergent pattern of nuclear genetic diversity across the range of the Afromontane Prunus africana mirrors variable Pleistocene climate of African highlands. Annals of Botany 111: 47–60.
Cousins SR, Williams VL & Witkowski ETF (2013) Sifting through cycads: a guide to identifying the stem fragments of six South African medicinal Encephalartos species. South African Journal of Botany 84: 115–123.
Kadu CAC, Parich A, Schueler S, Konrad H, Muluvi GM, Eyog-Matig O, Muchugi A, Williams VL, Ramamonjisoa L, Kapinga C, Foahom B, KatsvangaC, Hafashimana D, Obama C, Vinceti B, Schumacher R & Geburek T (2012) Bioactive constituents in Prunus africana: geographical variation throughout Africa and associations with environmental and genetic parameters. Phytochemistry 83: 70–78.
Cousins SR, Williams VL & Witkowski ETF (2012) Uncovering the cycad taxa traded from traditional medicine in South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 78: 129–138.
Cousins SR, Williams VL & Witkowski ETF (2011) Quantifying the trade in cycads (Encephalartos spp.) in the traditional medicine markets of Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa. Economic Botany 65: 356–370.
Kadu CAC, Schueler S, Konrad H, Muluvi GMM, Eyog-Matig O, Muchugi A, Williams VL, Ramamonjisoa L, Kapinga C, Foahom B, KatsvangaC, Hafashimana D, Obama C & Geburek T (2011) Phylogeography of the Afromontane Prunus africana reveals a former migration corridor between East and West African highlands. Molecular Ecology 20: 165–178.
Whiting MJ, Williams VL & Hibbitts TJ (2011) Animals traded for traditional medicine at the Faraday Market in South Africa: species diversity and conservation implications. Journal of Zoology 284(2): 84–96.
Williams VL, Falcão MP & Wojtasik EM (2011) Hydnora abyssinica: ethnobotanical evidence of its occurrence in southern Mozambique. South African Journal of Botany 77(2): 474–478.
Williams VL, Wojtasik EM & Witkowski ETF (2011) Ethno-ecological evidence for Hydnora abyssinica occurring in Johannesburg and Durban traditional medicine markets. South African Journal of Botany 77(2): 268–279.
Crouch NR, Williams VL, Edwards TJ & Brueton VJ (2010) Hyacinthaceae. Drimia cooperi in KwaZulu-Natal, and the ethnomedicinal trade. Bothalia 40(1): 75–78.
Williams VL, Balkwill K & Witkowski, ETF (2007) Size-class prevalence of bulbous and perennial herbs sold in the Johannesburg medicinal plant markets between 1995 and 2001. South African Journal of Botany 73: 144–155.
Williams VL, Witkowski ETF & Balkwill, K (2007) The relationship between bark thickness and diameter at breast height for six tree species used medicinally for bark in South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 73(3): 449–465.
Williams VL, Witkowski ETF & Balkwill, K (2007) The use of incidence-based species richness estimators, accumulation curves and similarity measures to appraise ethnobotanical inventories in South Africa. Biodiversity and Conservation 16(9): 2495–2513.
Williams VL, Balkwill K & Witkowski, ETF (2007) Stem diameter and bark surface area of the fluted trunk of Balanites maughamii. Bothalia 37(2): 211–214.
Williams VL, Witkowski ETF & Balkwill, K (2007) Volume and financial value of species traded in the medicinal plant markets of Gauteng, South Africa. International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology 14(6): 584–603.
Williams VL, Witkowski ETF & Balkwill, K (2005) Application of diversity indices to appraise plant availability in the traditional medicinal markets in Johannesburg, South Africa. Biodiversity and Conservation 14(12): 2971–3001.
Williams VL, Witkowski ETF & Balkwill, K (2005) Height, branch-free bole length and bark thickness for six tree species used medicinally in South Africa. Koedoe 48(1): 57–65.
Williams VL, Balkwill K & Witkowski, ETF (2001) A lexicon of plants traded in the Witwatersrand umuthi shops. Bothalia 31(1): 71–98.
Williams VL, Balkwill K & Witkowski, ETF (2000) Unravelling the market for commercial medicinal plants and plant parts on the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Economic Botany 54(3): 310–327.
Williams VL, Balkwill K & Witkowski, ETF (1997) Muthi traders on the Witwatersrand, South Africa - an urban mosaic. South African Journal of Botany 63(6): 378–381.

REPORTS

Williams VL, Loveridge AJ, Newton DJ & Macdonald DW (2015) Bones of Contention: an Assessment of the South African Trade in African Lion Panthera leo Bones and Other Body Parts. TRAFFIC, Cambridge & WildCRU, Oxford.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Williams VL, Balkwill K & Witkowski ETF (2014) Estimates of bark mass for six tree species used medicinally in South Africa. In: Bark: Use, Management, and Commerce in Africa (eds AB Cunningham, BM Campbell & MK Luckert) Advances in Economic Botany 17. The New York Botanical Garden Press, New York. pp: 59–77
Williams VL, Witkowski ETF & Balkwill K (2014) Assessing harvesting impacts for species used medicinally in South Africa: estimates of the number of individual trees debarked annually. In: Bark: Use, Management, and Commerce in Africa (eds AB Cunningham, BM Campbell & MK Luckert) Advances in Economic Botany 17. The New York Botanical Garden Press, New York. pp 115–135
Williams VL, Cunningham AB, Bruyns RK & Kemp AC (2013) Birds of a feather: quantitative assessments of bird diversity and use in African traditional medicine. In: Animals in Traditional Folk Medicine (eds R Alves & I Rosa). Springer. Pp 383–420
Bruyns RK, Williams VL & Cunningham AB (2013) Finely Ground-hornbill: the sale of Bucorvus cafer in a traditional medicine market in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. In: Animals in Traditional Folk Medicine (eds R Alves & I Rosa). Springer. Pp 475–486
Whiting MJ, Williams VL & Hibbitts TJ (2013) Animals traded for traditional medicine at the Faraday Market in South Africa: species diversity and conservation implications. In: Animals in Traditional Folk Medicine (eds R Alves & I Rosa). Springer. Pp 421–473.
Williams VL (2004) Trade and socio-economic value of forest and woodland resources within the medicinal plant market in Johannesburg. In: Indigenous Forests and Woodlands in South Africa: Policy, People and Practice (eds. MJ Lawes, HAC Eeley, CM Shackleton & BS Geach) University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg.