Human wildlife coexistence put to test in Botswana
Ecosure’s team is full of staff with a multitude of backgrounds, passions and skills that complement the work we do to improve ecosystems around the world. This range of skills and experiences is what solidifies Ecosure’s reputation as passionate, ethical and effective change-makers in the environmental space.
One such staff member is Ecosure’s wildlife biologist Jane Horgan. Jane has worked for Cheetah Conservation Botswana (CCB) since 2009 and remains with them part time, venturing back to Botswana in July for five weeks of field work. During her extended trip, she helped put GPS tracking collars on three cheetahs, attended the local agricultural show where she surveyed farmers about conflict levels and attitudes towards wildlife, filmed pilot episodes for CCB’s new WhatsApp based conservation education club, conducted school talks with students and attended conflict incidences reported by farmers. She was lucky to coincide her visit with a strategic planning session with her entire CCB team and a team-building camping trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park where they saw cheetahs, lions, antelope and hyena.
A highlight of her trip was learning about the traditional medicines of the Kalahari San Bushmen and being blessed with good luck by the local medicine man. Despite spending five weeks in a tent during sub-zero temperatures, Jane assures us it was great to be back in the Kalahari, catching up with friends, family and colleagues. Jane’s human-wildlife coexistence skills that she brings to Ecosure from her 13 years of experience in Botswana is helping to shape Ecosure’s international work in that space. Together we look forward to developing healthy relationships between wildlife, communities and industries across the world.
