Selected Careers in Conservation

Conservation Science - Researcher

Josia Razafindramanana - Madagascar

Josia was introduced to research and conservation by her tutor at teacher training college. They visited a forest far from Josia’s home. She saw wild lemurs and different types of vegetation for the first time. It inspired her to start learning about them. She was a qualified teacher but decided to study more. In 2012 she completed her PhD on lemur ecology and conservation.

Lemurs are primates that live on Madagascar, nowhere else in the world. There are 112 species. Some years ago Josia’s husband was travelling for his work. He sent a photograph to Josia and their children. She recognised a Crowned Sifaka Lemur in the picture. She knew it didn’t normally live in the area where her husband worked. She made a survey and discovered that its range was much larger than previously known, but the forest it needed only existed in patches. She wanted to protect them. She organised people to help – from local communities, expert primatologists, botanists, technicians, sociologists and educators. Her team had to be paid and they needed an organisation, a legally registered structure with by-laws and internal regulations so that they could raise money to pay for the work and manage it well. They created IMPACT Madagascar. It does applied ecology - research that produces information to help make the right decisions for conservation. They have learned about the way lemurs use habitat, the plant species in the forest, the plant species that lemurs eat and their ecology. With this knowledge they manage and restore the forest so that lemurs thrive.

Josia uses her teacher training.

She does practical education teaching people ways to improve their livelihoods and help conservation: agro-forestry, permaculture and conservation agriculture, how to use less firewood, improve vegetable gardens.

She also teaches trainee teachers at the University of Madagascar. She takes them to her study sites. Her past students are teaching conservation values to children in schools across Madagascar.

Josia’s work is making a difference - the number of lemurs at her site increased by 20% in 3 years.

Conservation Education and Research Mary Molokwu – Liberia

Mary studied Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology at University. She works for an NGO, she started as Technical Advisor for Education and Research, then became Country and Operations Manager. In 2015 she was a TUSK Award for Conservation finalist – for her work setting up courses and training in conservation and forestry.

As a Nigerian female Mary’s choice of career has not always been understood among her peers – they are not sure if it is a job that women can do. When she is working Mary is often the only female in a crowd of senior male professionals. She has used her ability to unite and prosper cooperation against this backdrop and frequently makes achievements in the world of conservation where others have failed. She has demonstrated commitment and ingenuity finding appropriate ways to train and build the capacity of local Liberian conservationists.

Liberia had a wealth of wildlife and forests. After civil unrest there were few trained people or facilities for conservation. Mary started internship programmes and mentoring schemes. She developed workshops and training modules for schools and colleges and established a Centre for Conservation Training. Mary has helped create a new generation of conservation scientists in the country.

Some of Mary’s achievements include: Forestry curriculums of Liberia’s main academic institutions now include 12 conservation modules; a centre for conservation training constructed in Sapo National Park for forestry students and professionals; over 70 forestry students, professionals and academics trained via 11 theoretical and practical field courses; an internship conservation training scheme established; recommencement of the Sapo National Park (SNP) long-term bio-monitoring programme; and 8 Liberian conservation professionals benefitting from an international mentoring scheme.

Vet, Researcher and NGO Manager

Gladys

Kalema-Zikusoka

- Uganda

Gladys belonged to the Wildlife Club at school, she loved animals and as she grew older set up more Wildlife Clubs. She wanted to be a vet and was encouraged by her Mum who had herself been the first women in her profession in Uganda. She had support from home but had to fight stereotypes and discouragement from all sides when she chose to work with wildlife in the forest, it wasn’t considered a suitable place for an educated female. Gladys was determined and she became the first wildlife vet in Uganda, working with the famous Mountain Gorillas of East Africa. When she worked for the Ugandan Wildlife Authority Gladys observed that the health of local communities, gorillas and livestock was all interlinked - a decline in the health of any of them affected the survival of the others. She was fascinated by this and was inspired to set up an organisation called Conservation Through Public Health. CTPH provides health care for people and animals in and around protected areas in Africa.

Gladys still works with the animals, as a vet, doing research, advocacy and training and is very involved in community projects. She’s used her studies in management and social entrepreneurship to help people set up income generating projects in areas around National Parks in Uganda. These include producing and marketing ‘Gorilla Conservation Coffee.’ Coffee is bought from local farmers at a premium price. Knowing they have buyers and reliable income helps the local people and makes them feel positive about conservation. Gladys also runs tourist activities, which brings more employment and benefits to local communities.

Dr Gladys has won international awards for the great impact that her work has had on the communities, wildlife and habitats in East and Central Africa. She often travels to conferences and meetings around the world to talk about her work and promote rights and opportunity for women. Gladys is married, she has two sons.