Master’s Level Conservation Research Internship in South Africa
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PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Travel to the Greater Kruger Park and conduct in-field ecological research on Africa’s most iconic wildlife
This advanced program gives Master’s students of biology, ecology, and conservation science a chance to contribute to vital conservation research in South Africa’s largest wildlife reserve, the Greater Kruger National Park.
You’ll join a research center based in Olifants West Nature Reserve and collaborate with an ecological conservation organization dedicated to supporting reserve management in making informed decisions based on scientific evidence. They have a long, accomplished history of responding to varied ecological crises ranging from poaching to elephant-driven tree mortality.
There are typically multiple projects active at the center at any given time, so the focus of your internship will be decided upon application. These projects could have you monitoring populations of certain species, devising strategies to control invasive plant species, or analyzing data from long-term fixed-point photography. You’ll run your conservation research projects, conduct fieldwork in the African Bush, and contribute meaningfully to conservation science.
Learning Objectives
- Real-world scientific research experience in Ecology
- Practical in-field data collection skills
- Extensive knowledge of ecosystems of South Africa
- Insight into nonprofit wildlife conservation
- Opportunity to publish or use findings toward university thesis
ORGANIZATION
Transfrontier Africa is a long-standing wildlife conservation organization that works from its research facility in the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa to develop wildlife management practices and strategies. They function as part of a network of wildlife research institutions to devise evidence-based projects to foster successful cohabitation of wildlife and local communities and respond to wildlife conservation crises.
Fueled by their research, the organization collaborates with management teams of wildlife parks and reserves, implements on-the-ground wildlife management and security strategies, and runs community outreach and education programs. With multiple projects on the go at any given time, the organization makes a tangible impact on the conservation of rare species, habitat protection, and anti-poaching efforts.
TASKS & REQUIreMENTS
You’ll play a big role in a small team in this program and will need to work both independently and in collaboration with your team. Your weekly schedule will include fieldwork, team meetings, and lectures on local wildlife. You may also conduct literature reviews, analyze data collected, and write reports – depending on the current need.
Responsibilities
- Fieldwork and data collection
- Data processing and database management
- Conducting literature reviews
- Writing methodologies, reports, and guideline documents
- Performing statistical tests and other kinds of data analysis
- Apply findings to real-world issues within the park and reserve management
- Devise wildlife management and security strategies and implement them
- Produce guideline documents for reserve management and landowners
- Give presentations among team members and possibly stakeholders on the progress and impact of your project
Requirements
- BSc degree and enrolled in a MSc in Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Conservation Science, or a field relevant to your research project
- Strong understanding of ecological principles, statistical analysis, and wildlife management
- Extensive experience conducting literature reviews and writing scientific reports, and an interest in publishing research papers
- Strong written and verbal communication and fluency in the English language
- Proficiency with MS Office, R statistical program, and geographic information system software, with an interest in learning new research methods and tools
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
We are currently hiring for the following research projects:
Monitoring of Spotted Hyena Crocuta Populations using Spatially Explicit Capture/Recapture Methods
This project seeks to improve the understanding of hyena populations in Olifants West Nature Reserve. The primary goals of the project are to add to the identification database through camera trap surveys and citizen science and use findings to model the demographics of spotted hyenas.
Extra requirements:
- BSc or higher in Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Conservation Science, or a field relevant to your research project
- Able to conduct a literature review mainly on spotted hyena ecology and the use of advanced and appropriate modeling techniques
- Prior experience using Artificial Intelligence software used for individual identification of wildlife species preferred.
Landscape Modeling in the Absence of Prickly Pear Control in South African Savanna
This project seeks to identify spatial patterns in the distribution of the species and priority areas to improve the effectiveness of control methods. The research aims to create predictive modeling of the spatial spread of prickly pear populations, measure the efficacy of control methods, and produce a guideline document for reserve management.
Extra requirements:
- BSc or higher degree in a relevant field, such as Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Biological Data Science, Applied Computing, or a related discipline
- Strong coursework and understanding of modeling principles and statistical analysis.
- Proficiency in using R statistical software program, or similar software, for modeling purposes and ability to identify suitable models in the literature.
Snare Detection of Snares using Radar, Validation, and Verification in the Savanna Biome
This project seeks to utilize airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to scan areas where snares are strategically deployed. The goal is to develop a method for analyzing large volumes of radar data, enabling the accurate identification of snare signatures amidst background noise. The extracted signatures will be used to train an algorithm that enhances data processing efficiency.
Extra requirements:
- BSc or higher degree in a relevant field, such as Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Biological Data Science, Applied Computing, or a related discipline
- A strong background in signal and image processing
- Experience with Fourier transformations
- Familiarity with GIS (Geographic Information System) software, such as QGIS or ArcGIS, for basic spatial analysis and mapping