Qualifications and experience

Azwianewi, known as Newi, obtained his B.Sc in 1996, B.Sc Hons (Zoology) in 1998 and UED (University Education Diploma) in 1997 from the University of Venda. He obtained his M.Sc (Zoology) degree in 2002 from the University of Pretoria. His Honours project was about Current status and Potential of Ecotourism at Albasini Conservation Area and his masters was entitled The diet of two fur seals species (Arctocephalus gazella and A. tropicalis) at Marion Island. Newi joined the University of Cape Town at the ADU on a joint project with MCM (Marine and Coastal Management) for a PhD on the Investigation of the impact of fur seals on the conservation status of seabirds at the Prince Edward Islands and off western South Africa. The study aims to address the extent of predation on seabirds by an ever-increasing population of seals in the southern Indian ocean. His supervisors are Prof. Les Underhill (ADU), Dr. Rob Crawford (Marine and Coastal Management, South Africa) and Prof. Marthan Bester (Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria).

After completing his Honours, Newi explored the subantarctic region in 1999, where he spent a year at the Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island) working on the Pinniped Monitoring Programme (seal group) with Prof M.N.Bester. Just before he completed his Masters, he presented a poster at the SCAR conference at Amsterdam, Holland (2001). He was also invited to Germany as a guest Scientist to the Alfred Weigner Institute (AWI) in Bremerhaven for a month where he presented a talk on The diet of two fur seals species at Marion Island. He is now working for MCM as an Oceanographer for stock assessment. Last year (2004) he was involved with the Earthwatch Programme on Robben Island, which involves monitoring of the endangered African penguin.

Presentation Topics

Slide show about Marion Island Experiences as a voluntary presentation at University of Venda (May 2000).

Poster Presentation about the diet of two fur seals species (Arctocephalus gazella and A. tropicalis) at Marion Island at the ZSSA 2001 conference, University of Port Elizabeth (June 2001).

Poster Presentation about the diet of two fur seals species (Arctocephalus gazella and A. tropicalis) at Marion Island at the SCAR 2001 International Biology Symposium at the Vrije University in Amsterdam (August-September 2001).

Presented a talk about the diet of two fur seals species (Arctocephalus gazella and A. tropicalis) at Marion Island at the Alfred-Wegener-Institute in Bremerhaven, Germany (November 2002).

Publications

Kirkman, S.P., Bester, M.N., Hofmeyr, G.J.G., Pistorius P.A., & Makhado, A.B. 2002. Pup growth and maternal attendance patterns in Subantarctic fur seals. Afr. Zool. 37: 13-19.

Hofmeyr, G.J.G, De Maine, M., Bester, M.N., Kirkman, S.P., Pistorius P.A., & Makhado, A.B. 2002. Entanglement of pinnipeds at Marion Island, 1996-2000. Aust. Mammal. 24: 141-146.

Kirkman, S.P., Bester, M.N., Makhado, A.B. & Pistorius, P.A. 2003. Female attendance behaviour of Antarctic fur seals at Marion Island. Afr. Zool. 38:402-405.

Crawford, R.J., Cooper, J., Dyer, B.M., Greyling, M.D., Klages, N.T.W., Ryan, P.G., Petersen, S.L., Underhill, L.G., Upfold, L., Wilkinson, W., De villiers, M.S. Du Plessis, S., Du toit, M., Leshoro, T.M., Makhado, A.B., Mason, M.S., Merckle, D., Tshingana, D., Ward, V.L. & Whittington, P.A. 2003. Population of the surface nesting seabirds at Marion Island. Afr. J. Mar. Sci. 25: 427-440.

Papers ready to be published

A.B. Makhado, M.N. Bester, S.P. Kirkman, P.A. Pistorius, J.W.H. Ferguson & N.T.W. Klages. Prey of the Antarctic fur seal Arctocephalus gazella at Marion Island.

A.B. Makhado, M.N. Bester, S.P. Kirkman, P.A. Pistorius, J.W.H. Ferguson & N.T.W. Klages. The diet of the subantarctic fur seal Arctocephalus Tropicalis at Marion Island.

Technical Reports

Bester, M.N., Hofmeyr, G.J.G., Kirkman, S.P., Pistorius, P.A. Makhado, A.B. & Demaine, M. 2001. Monitoring of Pinniped Populations at the Prince Edward Islands. Final Project Report to SACAR & Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism, R.S.A. 20 pp.