I am a Post-Doctoral Fellow affiliated with the Centre for Functional Biodiversity at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. I am interested in mammal ecology, human-wildlife conflicts, and prey-predator interactions, particularly for small carnivores. My previous research identified and quantified the impacts of several anthropogenic pressures on the ecology of three solitary mongooses. We identified and highlighted their behavioural adaptability and flexibility to land-use change. My current research investigates the drivers of anthropogenic pressures and landscape features on terrestrial mammal species richness, distribution, and occupancy in the KZN Midlands and within the Protected National game parks of northern Zululand.
The anthropogenic transformation of natural habitats, whether for agricultural or urban expansion, is a threat to biodiversity. Generalist species are often more adaptable than expected to broad anthropogenic pressures and can exploit the unique and unoccupied niche. Understanding whether small mammalian carnivores respond positively or negatively to these human-induced changes is paramount for developing best-practice management strategies in these dynamic systems.
