From Classroom to Conservation: Our Internship Experience at CCF

This was truly a great experience that helped us grow both personally and professionally. We were able to work on real conservation projects, gain hands-on field skills, and help with valuable research. Through this amazing experience—working not only in completely different outdoor environments but also within a different culture—we gained valuable skills that we can confidently apply to our future careers. We’re leaving with stronger minds, unforgettable memories, and a clearer idea of the role we want to play in this field.

Background

We are two ecology students in our third and final year of our program called Environmental and Wildlife Management at Vanier College in Montreal, Quebec. After three years of learning theory and practical based skills, a six-week internship is required in order to be able to graduate. With both a passion for big cats and an interest in learning how different cultures collect ecological data, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) located near Otjiwarongo, Namibia gave us this opportunity.

What we did as Ecology Interns.

During our internship, we had the amazing opportunity to work on the Vanier Biodiversity Project. This project was originally brought together to investigate how bush encroachment affects wildlife species at CCF. Over the course of three weeks, we conducted bird, insect, reptile and mammal surveys across six designated plots. Bird surveys were conducted using a point-count method for a duration of ten minutes per survey. Insect and reptile surveys involved walking along designated transects and identifying and counting any butterflies, dragonflies and reptiles observed along the way. For mammals, we simply placed trail cameras within each plot to later sort out the images and identify them. Afterwards, we’d spend time in the ecology office entering and organizing data into shared documents. The data we collected will serve as baseline information before different levels of bush clearing are applied to each plot in future years.

While we were not working on the biodiversity project, we assisted the ecology team in servicing the trail cameras that were out in the reserve that are a part of a long term monitoring project. We made sure that the cameras were charged to a minimum of 70% and if they were below, the batteries were swapped out for charged ones. We also would switch the SD cards for new ones each week in order to be able to sort through the pictures collected. We sorted the images into folders on the computer if there were any images taken of the rhinos, leopards and or cheetahs that are in the reserve. Additionally, we participated in the Big Field game count drives which consisted of driving on different paths in the reserve and identifying and estimating the number of game species populations. The age and sexe was also taken down if it was possible. Common species found during the game drives were springbok, giraffe, warthog, kori bustard and more.

Future Aspirations

Our experience as interns at CCF was enriching in so many ways. We had the privilege of working closely with local Namibians who are also very involved in conservation. While working at CCF, we had the privilege of learning about conservation strategies that are practiced in Namibia, cheetah ecology as well as the challenges that are faced while working in an environment where wildlife and humans coexist. On a non conservation side, we also met wonderful people and a community that made our time there feel very special. We grew strong connections and friendships with other interns and staff and made memories that will last a lifetime. Our experience at the CCF has affirmed our interest in pursuing careers in the environmental field. While looking at the future, we aspire to continue building our skills in conservation and environmental work. One of us (Yasmine) will continue to further her academic studies at McGill University studying Environmental Biology, while the other (Rachel) will be taking a gap year to travel and do fieldwork. Though we are taking different paths, we are equally committed to contributing to solutions that promote coexistence between humans and wildlife. Inspired by the commitment that we saw from the CCF team, we hope to be part of future projects that safeguard endangered species and preserve biodiversity globally.