By Tanya de Vente-Bijker

In primary school you were collecting beetles and had enough pets to open a zoo. More than once you fought with your friends about conserving our nature… You might just be the right candidate to become a conservation ecologist. 

Experience counts

Dr John Scotcher from ForestLore Consulting has been in the industry for a few decades. After qualifying in natural sciences at university he spent over twenty years in a provincial nature conservation organisation. “I then worked ten years in a large corporate (forestry), and now eight years as an environmental consultant.” His current clients include Forestry South Africa, PAMSA and Sonae Novobord, while he has also undertaken work for WWF-South Africa and KZN Wildlife Services. Who better to give some insight in the work of a conservation ecologist?

Conserving nature

“In a South African context, a conservation ecologist is generally accepted as a person who works with animals       and/or plants in a natural environment and often (but not always) with wildlife such as birds, mammals, insects, arthropods, reptiles and spiders,” says John. They study relationships between organisms and the environment or their habitat, how plants or animals develop, grow and die and what the best way is to conserve them.

An interest in nature

According to John, most people who go into conservation ecology have had an interest in nature since very early childhood. “One doesn’t have to have lived on a farm to exhibit this interest. Most conservation ecologists I know were born in towns and big cities.”

He says in his case there was no formal training offered in conservation after high school, but his passion for birds and bird watching drove him to select university courses that were appropriate to his interests.

Requirements: Passion and Ethics

“I would put passion and ethics at

the top of my list for the best attributes for the job as I would for any job,” he points out. He says anyone involved in the field as a conservation ecologist requires these two principal assets. “If you haven’t got them, stay out of the kitchen!”

You also need to have a logical and analytical mind (being good at Mathematics would help) and the ability to always question the facts.

You work until the job is done

John says your average day depends on the particular field of interest and will include days when you are in the field collecting data and days when you are office bound. He explains someone involved in research on, for example carnivores, may be up all night radio tracking the species’ movements, or observing the animals at a kill. “The working day is as long as it takes to get the job done.”

Variable working conditions

The working conditions vary from outdoor fieldwork to normal office conditions. “When working outdoors you can be exposed to a variety of environmental conditions ranging from extreme cold (snow) to very dry (deserts) or wet conditions.”

Ahhh… the adrenaline!

He says any conservation ecologist will be able to amuse listeners about some of the scariest moments in their lives.  “Personally, I have had scary moments from black rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, a black mamba and a puff adder. But the most frightening moments have been in exposed situations at high altitude in a lightning storm. You can’t outrun lightning.”

The future

“My personal belief is that there will be a growing demand for natural scientists/conservation ecologists to ensure the protection of our environment in the face of the necessary development that is required to allow South Africa to grow,” says John. His advice for any young student would be to follow your heart. “But balance it with your common sense (not always that common), good judgement, passion for the job you wish to pursue and a good dose of ethics.”