Antelope and Zebra Subject of Doctoral Study

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Conservationist and large herbivore expert, Dr Jan Venter of the Eastern Cape Parks Board, was awarded his PhD in Biology at the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science’s Westville Graduation ceremony.

Venter’s research was on the intrinsic and extrinsic influences on African large herbivore assemblages, and the implications these have for their conservation.

Supervised by Professor Rob Slotow and Professor Herbert Prins, his study focused on red hartebeest, eland and plains zebra.

Venter embarked on his doctorate because he wanted to understand better how to manage the large herbivore population at Mkambati Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape, where he is employed by the Parks Board. Mkambati is in an underdeveloped area and an important biodiversity hotspot. 

Venter’s thesis provided a mechanistic understanding of how best to manage large herbivores at Mkambati. He studied their movement behaviour using GPS collars, collected unique datasets of short-term movements, and applied fundamental behavioural ecology and evolution concepts to understand and model which communities of large herbivores should be introduced, and how best to manage threats and effects of poaching.

His aim is to guide wildlife management in the reserve.

‘Jan Venter is as a conservationist with technical qualifications, and he had to work very hard, while in a full time job, to gain the academic depth required for the scholarship of a PhD,’ explained Slotow. ‘Jan has been extremely committed to making the time to interact with international experts for advice on approaches and analysis. His ability to think outside the box, but to draw on the views of others as he integrates solutions, created very interesting and meaningful outcomes.

‘I believe it is important for people such as Jan Venter, who are employed by conservation agencies, to achieve a PhD, as this can only improve the quality of conservation management and decision making on the ground,’ said Slotow.

‘His work will contribute strongly to planning around how to manage our large game species, not only in the Eastern Cape, but more broadly across South Africa.’

Venter said he chose to study through UKZN because of the high-quality, internationally recognised academics it offered in his subject field. ‘The excellent support I received from Professors Rob Slotow and Herbert Prins developed me as a scientist and I am very grateful for that. Obtaining a PhD has really improved my application of conservation science.’

Sally Frost