What’s Happening

64 transects. 164 km on foot. That’s how much ground I’ve covered so far—and I’ve learned that fieldwork rarely goes exactly according to plan. Several landowners had told me I could survey on their land, but then came months of radio silence. Eventually, I had to be honest with myself: I probably wasn’t going to be surveying that particular patch of land. But what about another patch nearby? Similar habitat. Similar landscape. Close enough to Read more

52 — that’s the number of transects I’ve walked to date. A transect is a straight line or narrow path along which I record baboon presence. On paper, my GPS tells me I’ve walked 135 km while surveying, but I know the actual distance is considerably more. At each location, I walk one kilometer, turn 90 degrees, walk 500 meters, turn 90 degrees, walk another kilometer, turn 90 degrees again, and then walk the final Read more

We had been inside Kruger National Park for less than five minutes when my sister suddenly shouted, “STOP!” I hit the brakes, looked around, and couldn’t see anything unusual. Just a small herd of impalas. “They’re beautiful,” she said, admiring their graceful legs and the sweeping horns of the males. I smiled. I didn’t tell her she’d probably see thousands more over the next five days. Instead, I appreciated the reminder that even Africa’s most Read more

During the six months I’ve been in Limpopo, I’ve met some wonderful farmers and farm managers. Farming often operates on narrow profit margins, and an increase in the cost of fertilizer or diesel—or crop losses from insects, weather, or wildlife—can become financially devastating. Lately, I’ve been spending time with citrus farmers who are using a variety of strategies to reduce crop losses. Most employ crop guards whose job is to chase wildlife out of the Read more

The dry season arrived in Limpopo, and with it came the start of baboon surveys. My transects cross private farms, communal lands, and protected areas like national parks and nature reserves. No matter where I survey, permission is essential — but who grants that permission depends entirely on the land. On private property, I ask the landowner. In protected areas, permission comes from South African National Parks (SANParks) or the Limpopo government. On communal lands, Read more

Conservation is often imagined as fieldwork: tracking animals, collecting data, and working in remote landscapes. But one of the most important investments in conservation is much less visible — students. I have the privilege of working with Honors students at the University of Venda (UNIVEN) in Thohoyandou, Limpopo. Although I can’t do fieldwork forever, I can support conservation efforts by helping train the next generation of researchers. This month, I’ll talk about three skills that Read more

I could have sworn I just wrote my February update—and somehow, it’s already April. At first, it felt like March passed quietly. Then I looked at my calendar. This month, above all, was about connections. When it comes to the transects I’ll be walking, those connections came in unexpected forms: farmers, a butcher, and even a dentist. To ensure scientific rigor, my transects were computer-generated and randomly placed across northern Limpopo. The challenge has been Read more

Fieldwork often begins long before the first transect is walked. It starts with conversations, introductions, cups of coffee, and the kindness of people willing to help a stranger with a research project. February turned out to be exactly that kind of month. Unlike January, which was filled with wildlife sightings and long walks in the bush, February was all about people and connections. I spent more time at the University of Venda getting to know Read more

The Chacma Baboon Project is finally becoming a reality, thanks to the support of the William J. Fulbright Scholar Award. After months of preparation, the project officially launches in January—and we’re excited to bring you along from the very beginning. Our first step will be gathering information from the people who know baboons best. We’ll be surveying community members with firsthand experience, collecting baboon photos from known locations, inviting the public to guess the number Read more