RESEARCHER PROFILES

Mark Hardon

Mark Hardon is an enthusiastic young man that has recently joined the Central Limpopo River Valley elephant research project as a field assistant. He will be responsible for collecting field data on the project and will be focusing on identifying the various herds within the reserve, tracking their movements and observing their feeding habits.

Mark is a student at the Tshwane University of Technology and is hoping to complete both his BTech and MTech degrees on the population dynamics, movement patterns and feeding behavior of the Tuli Elephants. Mark has experience in both managing captive wild animals as well as wildlife management and is an exciting new additional to the project. Mark will also be responsible for conducting the Ivory drives, in my absence and looking forward meeting people and sharing his knowledge on the Tuli elephants.

Sarah-Anne Jeanetta Selier
Born Pretoria, South Africa 1972.

TERTIARY EDUCATION:

1991 1995 - B.Sc. (Agric) Animal Husbandry & Wildlife Sciences (University of Pretoria, South Africa);
1998 -B.Sc. Honours Centre for Wildlife Management (University of Pretoria) Two extra subjects – Monogastric nutrition & Ruminant nutrition. The adaptations and behaviour of reintroduced African elephant on Mabula Game Reserve.
2007 - M.Sc. (Wildlife Management) (Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria) with distinction. The social structure, distribution and demographic status of the Central Limpopo River Valley elephant population of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Currently busy with my doctoral degree investigating the movement patterns, social and demographic status of the elephant population in the Central Limpopo Valley, Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

EMPLOYMENT:

Research Technician: Agricultural Research Council - Irene (1996-97).
Ecologist (Researcher) & Coordinator Adventure Mashatu: Mashatu Game Reserve (2001 to 28 February 2006).
Ecologist (Researcher) & Camps Manager: Mashatu Game Reserve (March 2006 to June 2007)
Resident Biologist: Mashatu Game Reserve (July 2007 to July 2009)
Ivory Experience - Currently I am running my own concession on Mashatu called the Ivory Experience in collaboration with Mashatu Game Reserve. As part of the Ivory Experience I accompany guests on a game drive during which we focus specifically on the many herds of elephants, studying their behaviour and explaining the social structure, behaviours and other ecological aspects of elephants to the participants. We delve into the research already conducted over the past 8 years and future research needed and planned within the area.

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Elephants in a systems context.

PUBLICATIONS:

14 Oral Presentations (National & International conferences); Recent papers include:
1. Selier, S.A.J. 1998. The adaptations and behaviour of reintroduced African elephant on Mabula Game Reserve. Honours thesis, Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria.
2. Selier, J., Page, B. R., Van Hoven, W. & Garai, M. E., 2002. Update on the status of the central Limpopo Valley elephant population. In Garai, M.E. (ed). Proceedings of a Workshop on Research on Elephants. Knysna Elephant Park. 9-11 May 2002. Elephant Management and Owners Association, Vaalwater.
3. Otumile et al. July 2004. Task Force Report: Assessment of the human – wildlife conflict in Botswana. Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Botswana.
4. Selier, S.A.J 2007. The social structure, distribution and demographic status of the Central Limpopo River Valley elephant population of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. MSc thesis, Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria.
5. Selier, S.A.J, Page, B.R., Van Hoven, W. & Garai, M.E. 2007. The Current Status of the African elephant population in the Central Limpopo Valley, Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. (In review - Koedoe)

STUDENT SUPERVISION:

Mentor (K Bennett) Student at Technicon South Africa Nature Conservation Diploma (2005).
Villiers Steyn. Btech & Mtech student from the Tswane University of Technology, South Africa. Studying the spatial organisation, eco-tourism potential and human interaction of leopards (panthera pardus) in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana. (2004-2007)

ORGANISATIONS: Advisor to Cheetah Conservation Society, Botswana, EMOA, SAMWA, Shashe/Limpopo Predator Research Group

Andrei Snyman
Project manager - Northen Tuli Predator Project
Born Grootfontein, Namibia 1982

TERTIARY EDUCATION:

2010 - Current – PhD Student
2007 – 2010 M.Sc Game Ranch Management. (Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa) Specialising in large carnivores.
2005-2006 – B-Tech Degree Game Ranch Management (Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa)
2002-2004 – National Diploma Game Ranch Management (Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa)

EMPLOYMENT:

Senior research assistant: Lion census conducted in Kruger National Park (2005-2006)
Research assistant: Lion- and wild dog monitoring and management – Venetia Private Game Reserve (2005)

ORGANIZATIONS:

Member of the African Lion Working Group
Member of the Shasi-Limpopo Predator Research Group

Craig Jackson
(Project Manager – Northern Tuli Game Reserve Wild Dog Project)
Born Pretoria, South Africa 1981

Tertiary Education – University of Pretoria, South Africa

• PhD student –(2008 – current)
• MSc degree in Zoology (passed with distinction)
• BSc Honours degree in Zoology
• BSc degree in Zoology (majoring in zoology, entomology and botany)

Publications

1. JACKSON, C.R. & BENNETT, N.C. 2004. Is the Natal mole rat a spontaneous or induced ovulator? Journal of Mammalogy, 86(1): 1 - 6.

2. Scantlebury, M., Oosthuizen, M.K., Speakman, J.R., Jackson, C.R. & Bennett, N.C. 2004. Seasonal field metabolic rates of the Hottentot golden mole: an ancient African Afrotherian. Physiology and Behavior, 84: 739 - 745.

3. SNYMAN, C., JACKSON, C.R. & BENNETT, N.C. 2006. Do dispersing non-reproductive female Damaraland mole-rats, Cryptomys damarensis (Rodentia: Bathyergidae) exhibit spontaneous or induced ovulation. Physiology and Behavior, 87: 88 - 94.

4. BROEKMAN, M., BENNETT, N.C., JACKSON, C.R. & WEBER, R. 2006 Does altitudinal difference modulate haemoglobin-oxygen binding in subterranean rodent Cryptomys hottentotus mahali) blood? Physiology and Behavior, 88: 77 - 81.

5. BROEKMAN, M., BENNETT, N.C., JACKSON, C.R. & SCANTLEBURY, M. 2006. Mole-rats from higher altitudes have greater thermoregulatory capabilities. Physiology and Behavior, 89: 750 - 754.

6. JACKSON, C.R., CALLAGHAN, N. A., VAN DER WAALS, J., SETSAAS, T.H., ROBERTSON, R.P. & BENNETT, N.C. 2008. Soil properties and the distribution of the endangered Juliana’s golden mole. Journal of Zoology, London, 274 (1): 13 - 17.
               
7. SCANTLEBURY, M., LOVEGROVE, B.G., JACKSON, C.R., BENNETT, N.C. & LUTERMANN, H. 2008.  Hibernation and non-shivering thermogenesis in the Hottentot golden mole (Amblysomus hottentottus longiceps). Journal of Comparative Physiology – B, 178:887 - 897.

8. JACKSON, C.R., SETSAAS, T.H., ROBERTSON, M.P., & BENNETT, N.C. 2008. Ecological variables governing habitat suitability and the distribution of the endangered Juliana’s Golden Mole . African Zoology: 43 (2): 245 – 255.

9. JACKSON, C.R., SETSAAS, T.H., SCANTLEBURY, M., ROBERTSON, M.P. & BENNETT, N.C. 2009. Body temperature and activity patterns in the endangered Juliana’s golden mole, Neamblysomus julianae. In Press: Journal of Zoology, London.

10. VIKAN, J.R., STOKKE, B.G., JACKSON, C.R., HUHTA, E., RUTILA, J., MOKSNES, A & RØSKAFT, E. 2009. Experimental support for lack of plasticity in discrimination thresholds in two Fringillidae hosts of the common cuckoo. In Press: Ethology

Recent work experience

• Feb 2008 – current: Project Manager & researcher – Northern Tuli Game Reserve   

Wild Dog Project – Botswana

• Jun 2007 – Feb 2008: Compilation of Conservation Management Plan for the Critically

Endangered Juliana’s Golden Mole for provincial conservation authorities

• Jul – Aug 2008: Six week contract position at Palabora Mining Company (Riotinto

Group), working as ecologist in the environmental section.

• April 2006 – Jun 2007: After completing MSc, worked at the Norwegian University of

Science and Technology (NTNU) as a research assistant in the Biology Department. This formed part of an exchange program between NTNU and the Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria.

Professional information

• Elected to Gauteng Provincial Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment’s Panel of Experts (PoE) for issues regarding the critically endangered Juliana’s golden mole
• Member of the Zoological Society of South Africa (2003-)
• IBRO (International Brain Research Organization) Alumni (2003-)
• Co-recipient of a funding award from the Chicago Zoological Society’s Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund for conservation of endangered species (2004-2005)
• Member Shashe-Limpopo Predator Research Group