Grace comes to us from “Down Under” (i.e. Australia). This Aussie girl first discovered the gratification of wildlife conservation while volunteering at Shamwari Game Reserve on the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Working with the Born Free Foundation at the reserve, Grace was lucky enough to experience the uncensored life of Africa’s wildlife. Each day brought about a different encounter with lions, elephants, rhinos, hippos, and cheetahs. This unique experience was the genesis of Grace’s passion for wildlife conservation.
Shamwari Game Reserve with an African Elephant
Shamwari Game Reserve with lioness called Narla
Eager to see where this passion could take her, Grace began a bachelor degree majoring in Animal Science at The University of Western Australia in 2008. Midway through the course and in need of new discovery, Grace recommenced her travels and found herself working for Sacha Yacu Animal Rescue Centre in Ecuador. Here Grace looked after the animal husbandry for Amazonian animals such as monkeys, coati’s, parrots and tyra’s.
Ecuador at Sacha Yacu Animal Rescue Centre with Little Coati
Back at university and finally in her 4th year, Grace was chosen to travel to South Africa and work with The Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology at Cape Town University as part of her honors project. The institute had started up a large project looking at climate change and its effects on desert birds. Collecting data in the Kalahari desert with a research team taught Grace there’s more to conservation than physical labor; research and the progression of knowledge being just as important.
Soon after Grace conducted her own project in the West Australian desert focusing on physiology, foraging behavior and functional characteristics of Australian desert birds. The objective was to determine whether these attributes affect the ability of a species to cope with extreme temperatures.
After completing her project and her degree, Grace sought a new opportunity to discover what else the wonderful world of wildlife has to offer.
Transporting one of the six new lions to Tswalu Game reserve in Africa
We’re so excited to welcome Grace to the panda team and are looking forward to the baby panda pictures she’ll be sending us from the CCRCGP.
-Meg