Have worked on African carnivores in the wild since 34 years for PhD and post-doc research in South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland (aardwolf, black-footed cat, African wildcat, arid habitat mongoose, mustelids, canids), a for 5 years in the Moroccan Sahara (sand cat, canids, mustelids), via intensive behavioral ecology research, by readio-collaring and tracking and monitoring their behaviour. Raising awareness and leading a working group for the black-footed cats. However, I’m also very aware of all other terrestrial vertebrates, and have incoporated this into my contribution. My focus of research is the Kimberley region, De Aar (Central Karoo, South Africa) and Grünau area, Namibia (Southern Namibia). I have contributed to bird counts, new records, documenting all vertebrates in photos and id, sharing my photos and knowledge widely.
Human impact is very prominent, even in the semi-arid/arid low-human-density parts of southern Africa, Including the used of natural resources, livestock grazing, predator control, habitat alteration. This impacts the food base of my two focus species (termites and small mammals and birds), as well as direct persecution for food (aardwolf) or collateral killing (shooting, killing by domestic dogs) of black-footed cats. Overuse of resources is most prominent when there is a severe drought, when these then even sparser resources (water, grazing) are stretched and are becoming less available sustainably even for human well-being (shortage of water, food).