Staff, Students & Associates

Conservation Biology Masters Students (2011/12)

Maurice Schutgens

Email: maurice.schutgens@uct.ac.za

Maurice was born in the Netherlands but at the age of 4 moved to Kamuli, Uganda, which at the time was best described as “the town that marked the end of the tarmac road and the beginning of the bush”. This is where his passion for Africa, its wildlife and its people was ignited. After four years of home-schooling he briefly moved back to the Netherlands before relocating to Malawi where he spent the next ten years, and was privileged to attend international schools. Having grown up in developing countries and having been able to travel extensively throughout southern Africa he decided that he would make it home again, one day. In 2007 he moved to the UK to complete his BSc Zoology Honours at the University of Nottingham, where he graduated at the top of his class. His thesis explored the relationship between a nematode parasite and its intermediate beetle host and is currently working with his supervisor to publish this work. Ultimately, however, the plan was always to return to Africa to pursue a career in wildlife conservation. The CB course offered a ticket back to Africa as well as a qualification that would point him in the right direction. Africa exposed him to poverty, biodiversity and the challenge of conservation that arises in such circumstances. Maurice’s passion lies within the arena of human-wildlife conflict and he hopes to be able to play a role in encouraging co-existence and sustainable management. Maurice has had limited field experience but was able to volunteer at a crocodile farm in South Africa. His main hobbies are mountaineering, scuba-diving, football, travelling and photography.

Mini-thesis

Collisions and biases: estimating the impact of low-voltage distribution lines on the Ludwig's Bustard (Neotis ludwigii) (Supervisor: Peter Ryan). Graduated June 2012