Over the years, GVI field staff all over the world have used their knowledge to not just push GVI to be one of the most well respected volunteer organizations, but to also share this knowledge on the work that is done by GVI volunteers. The following report comes from our field teams in Limpopo province, South Africa...

GVI Karongwe’s efforts to spread their network of research partners will involve attending the annual SAWMA symposium, held from September 16 – 19th 2012.

SAWMA is an independent, non-profit professional body, founded in 1970. The association represents a multi-disciplinary membership and is involved with the science and management of wildlife and other renewable natural resources. It includes the following disciplines: wildlife research, conservation science, ecology, genetics and animal science.

The main function of SAWMA is to promote the common interest of our membership by publishing research articles in a scientific journal, South African Journal of Wildlife Research, organising an annual symposium, and publishing an electronic newsletter on a monthly basis - thereby keeping its members abreast of the latest research and development and setting a code of ethics and standards for wildlife management and wildlife research.

Apart from the invaluable opportunity to network with like-minded organisations, GVI has had two abstracts for paper presentations accepted for the symposium. Building on GVI’s long term partnership with researchers at Queen’s University Belfast, our science officer, Beth Silvester, and Mountain Phase Manager, Kaggie Orrick, will respectively present papers on “Energetics of an endangered super-predator: the Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus” and “The response of small mammals to natural and human-altered edges associated with afromontane forests of South Africa.” Both papers have used many years’ worth of data collected by staff and volunteers at both Karongwe Game Reserve and on Mariepskop during the satellite phase of the expedition.

Ultimately, GVI Karongwe aims to improve awareness of the projects and available data, with the intention of fostering opportunities that may lead to a wider distribution of the volunteer-collected data and publications using GVI’s data.

To contribute to current and meaningful conservation efforts, you should look no further than GVI, our achievements really do speak for themselves! Learn about our South Africa wildlife research expedition, or contact us for more information!