MSc and PhD Students and Research

Are you thinking of doing an MSc or PhD? Before embarking on a higher degree I recommend you read Chapters 1-3 of "How to write a PhD in Biological Sciences: a guide for the uninitiated" by John Measey. You can find it here: http://www.howtowriteaphd.org/

2024 MSc students:

Masibulele Xhobani (Fort Hare). Latrine use by syntopic small-spotted and Cape genets. The main supervisor is Emmanual do Linh San at Fort Hare. (Submitted for examination).
Tracy Bash. Biodiversity of Waterberg mammals. The main supervisor is Mark Keith, and the co-supervisor is Dan Parker.
Johann de Beer. The effect of different grazing management systems on the veld condition, and body condition of selected wildlife. Co-supervised by Craig Shepstone and LD van Essen.
Dean Jenkins. Drivers of warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) occupancy with aardvark (Orycteropus afer) as a keystone species. The main supervisor is Mark Keith and the co-supervised is Jan Venter
Michael Nel. Mammal Diversity in the Waterberg. The main supervisor is Mark Keith, and the co-supervisor Dan Parker.
Micaela Venter. Diet of African wild dogs in the Waterberg. Co-supervised with Jan Venter, Mark Keith and Carel Oosthuizen.
Daleen Steenkamp (UNISA). Seasonal importance of wetlands to ungulates in a grassland system. The Main Supervisor is Leslie Brown and is co-supervised by Maartin Strauss.
Reilly Mooney (NMU). Wild dogs of the Waterberg. The main supervisor is Jan Venter.
Penelope Morkel. Bird diversity in the Waterberg Mountain Catchment. The main supervisor is Mark Keith. Co-supervisor: Prof Michael Somers.

2024 PhD students:

Mathew Child. Wildness as a science-policy bridge for a better world. Co-supervised by Harriet Davies-Mostert. (Completed, awaiting graduation in September).
Marie Lemerle. Brown hyenas and ecotourism. Co-supervised by Ingrid Wiesel.
Mmatsawela Ramahlo. Seasonal small mammal diversity, endocrine correlates, and diet in rodents across transformed and pristine ecosystems in the Magaliesberg. The main supervisor is Andre Ganswindt.
Fleur Visser. Lion management and genetics in West Africa. Co-supervised by Yoshan Moodley.
Alexander Cooper (University of Stellenbosch). Mechanisms of co-existence between brown hyaena and spotted hyaena. The main supervisor is Alison Leslie at the University of Stellenbosch.
Kanyisa Jama. The socio-economic impact of the extra-limital common warthog. Co-supervised by IF Jaja (Fort Hare).

Previous MSc and PhD graduates:

MSc:

Peter Roberts. 2006. Aspects of the behavioural ecology of Genetta tigrina. Co-supervised by Rehema White.
Mandisa Mgobozi. 2008. Spider community responses to Chromolaena odorata invasion, grassland type and grazing intensities.
Lihle Dumalisile. 2008. Effects of Chromolaena odorata on mammalian biodiversity in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa.
Jan Graf (UKZN). 2008. The Spatial Ecology of Lion (Panthera leo) and Spotted Hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. The main supervisor was Rob Slotow (UKZN).
Janet Edwards. 2007. Conservation genetics of African wild dogs Lycaon pictus (Temminck, 1820) in South Africa. Co-supervised by Paulette Bloomer and Harriet Davies-Mostert.
Ann-Marie Hauser. 2008. Spoor density, movement and rehabilitation of cheetahs in Botswana.
Rickert van de Westhuizen. 2008. Biology and management affecting the decline of a black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis minor (Linnaeus, 1758), population in Ndumo Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Co-supervised by B Janse van Rensburg, Wayne Mathews.
Jean Purdon. 2008. Effects of biocomplexity and management on the completive ability of ants. Co-supervised by Kate Parr.
Nolubabalo Tantsi. 2012. Long-term impacts of Chromolaena odorata (L.) invasion and ungulate grazing on ant body size and communities in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa. Co-supervised by Fred Dalerum.
Kris Everatt, 2014. Influence of bushmeat poaching and pastoralism on African lion Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) ecology in rural Mozambique.
Leah Andresen. 2014. Site occupancy and habitat selection of cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus (Shreber, 1775) in a human-influenced landscape in Mozambique.
Paola Strampelli (Imperial College London). 2015. Status and habitat use responses of leopard (Panthera pardus) in a human impacted region of rural Mozambique. The main supervisor was Marcus Rowcliffe.
Michael Zingel. 2016. Optimising vegetation assessments to facilitate wildlife management.
Thandiwe Knutsen. 2016. Long-term changes affecting African wild dog Lycaon pictus (Temminck 1820) demographics in Kruger National Park. Co-supervised by Kelly Marnewick and Mark Keith
Lisa Isaacs. 2016. Estimating African civet Civettictis civetta (Schreber 1776) density and occupancy in a mosaic of land uses in the Waterberg district, South Africa. Lourens Swanepoel.
Maria Blanco Pérez (Imperial College London). 2017. Is sharing caring? Springhare burrow use by carnivores, birds and rodents. Co-supervised by Maartin Strauss.
Rowan Jordaan. 2018. The foraging ecology of two otter species (Aonyx capensis, Schinz 1821 and Hydrictis maculicollis, Lichtenstein, 1835) in South Africa. The main supervisor was Trevor McIntyre, Co-supervised by Grant Hall.
M Axel Hunnicutt. 2017. Population ecology of spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta (Erxleben, 1777) in two adjacent reserves in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Clinton Wright. 2017. The impact of the African wild dog Lycaon pictus (Temminck, 1820) on a biodiversity rich area, Tembe Elephant Park, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Co-supervised by Wayne Mathews & Cathariné Hannekom
John Vogel (Nelson Mandela University). 2019. Wild dog reintroductions into KZN. The main supervisor was Jan Venter.
Sally Hunter. 2021. Using activity budgets and space use preferences to define enclosure appropriateness for African painted dogs, Lycaon pictus (Temminck 1820).
Terry-Lee Honiball (Nelson Mandela University). 2021. Estimating the population size of three large carnivore species and the diet of six large carnivore species, in Madikwe Game Reserve. The main supervisor was Jan Venter, and co-supervisor Herve Fritz.
Elezebetta Carlin. 2021. Quantifying faecal glucocorticoid metabolites in rock hyraxes Procavia capensis (Pallas, 1766) living in an urban green space. The main supervisor was Andre Ganswindt, and the other co-supervisor was Juan Scheun.
Agathe Gervais. 2022. Intraspecific and interspecific olfactory interactions and density of leopards Panthera pardus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa. Co-supervised by Alex Braczkowski.
Tristan Baird. 2022. Implications of camera-trap survey design and analytical methods for large carnivores estimates. The main supervisor is Mark Keith, and the other co-supervisor is Jan Venter.
Kyle Smith. 2023. Coexistence among South African carnivores: spatial and temporal partitioning and their ecological correlates. Co-supervised by Jan Venter and Mark Keith.
Lien Gyselynck (University of Antwerp). 2023. The influence of predator community structure on small antelopes in South African parks? Co-supervisors are Herwig Leirs, Jan Venter and Lain Pardo.

PhD:

Markus Gusset (UKZN). 2006. The re-introduction of endangered African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) — A multi-disciplinary evaluation. The main supervisor was Rob Slotow (UKZN).
Penny Spiering. 2007. (Upgraded from MSc). Behavioural ecology, genetics and success of African wild dogs Lycaon pictus (Temminck, 1820) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Co-supervised by Micaela Szykman (Humboldt State University), Jesús Maldonado (Smithsonian Institution), and David Wildt (Smithsonian Institution).
Lourens H Swanepoel. 2013. Viability of Leopards Panthera pardus (Linnaeus, 1758) in South Africa. The main supervisor was Wouter van Hoven, and the other co-supervisor was Fred Dalerum.
Kelly Marnewick. 2016. Conservation biology of cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus (Schreber, 1775) and African wild dogs Lycaon pictus (Temminck, 1820) in South Africa.
Hanlie Winterbach. 2017. Countrywide landscape suitability of Botswana for large carnivores, with an emphasis on cheetah Acinonyx jubatus (Schreber 1775) and African wild dog Lycaon pictus (Temminck 1820).
Inonge Kasimona. 2019. Sustainability of wildlife resources in Zambia: An analysis of community participation and devolution of authority from central government to community resource boards in Mumbwa and Lupande Game Management Areas. Co-supervised by Willem Ferguson.
Chris Winterbach. 2020. Monitoring of large carnivores in Botswana for conservation management.
David Marneweck. 2020. The ecology of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), Temminck 1820, in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa. Co-supervised by Dave Druce.
Jean Purdon. 2022. Effects of marine noise pollution on whales and dolphins. Co-supervised by K Findley, M Pienaar & F Shabangu.