Ecological Sciences PhD Study Reveals Deadly Impact of Roads on Protected Areas of KZN

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Doctoral research by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Dr Cameron Cormac in Ecological Sciences examined how infrastructure, such as roads, affects wildlife in protected areas in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

During his investigations, Cormac collected roadkill and observed how reptiles use roads, assessing how large carnivore interactions are influenced by the infrastructure; the resulting thesis is titled: ‘The Effect of Linear Infrastructure on Vertebrate Fauna in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) and Northeastern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa’.

This work, supervised by Professor Colleen Downs and Dr Jarryd Streicher, took Cormac to the HiP and iSimangaliso Wetland Park (IWP) for frequent, often nocturnal, data collection visits to contribute to his findings to the field of linear infrastructure ecology - an applied science that is in its infancy in Africa and studies the impact of roads, railways, power lines and pipelines on ecosystems as they minimise or fragment habitats, isolate species and lead to deaths.

Scientists like Cormac investigate how structures used by humans for wildlife conflict resolution, goods transfer, service delivery, and travel, such as roads and fences, affect wildlife in protected areas and how these structures could be optimised for conservation and connecting protected areas. This is vital as land-use change increases and biodiversity declines.

Cormac, who chose UKZN for financial and academic reasons, completed his undergraduate studies in Environmental Sciences, his Honours in Biological Sciences, and his master’s qualification in Genetics at the University, where he benefited from the knowledge he gained from leading academic experts.

A fascination with animals led him to ecological sciences, particularly as he became more intrigued by the interconnectedness of nature.

His PhD included surprising findings, including the sheer scale of wildlife mortality on the two relatively short sections of the R618 and R22 public roads he surveyed in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) which pass through HiP and IWP, respectively. Both had the highest wildlife mortality rates recorded to date in South Africa, were among the highest in Africa, and had wet-season mortality rates among the highest in the world.

Mortality rates of snakes in these protected areas remain relatively equal with those in unprotected areas - snakes and amphibians are highly susceptible to fast-moving vehicles.

Cormac was also surprised to find that the roads and fences used by large carnivores in HiP follow similar trends to previous habitat selection studies, in which secondary predators, such as wild dogs, use areas that apex predators, such as lions, avoid.

Completing a PhD was like finishing an ultramarathon for Cormac, who struggles with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and found motivation and time management more difficult. Trying to secure funding and solve the financial instability of student life also created mental health declines, which exacerbated other struggles and created cycles that were challenging.

To combat this, Cormac found himself taking on additional work, such as public education initiatives, that provided a sense of accomplishment and lessened financial instability and strove to find the positive aspects of his life and work, even when none were immediately evident. He has tried to pass on lessons he learned in the process to other students and has enjoyed doing work that will help create a more sustainable world, one kinder and healthier than the one in which he grew up. He sought balance by spending time in nature to reduce stress and to remind him of the importance of his work, and by enjoying weekly games of Dungeons & Dragons with friends, which helped him overcome feelings of burnout and depression through collaborative storytelling, mental escape and a sense of community.

Cormac also credited his mother and stepfather, Liesel and Mark Botha, and his partner, Ms Suveena Govender, for their support, and Downs for her understanding, her belief in his potential, and her impeccable example as a scientist and educator.

During Cormac’s studies, he conducted multiple other research projects to monitor reptile, amphibian, and small mammal populations in the Wartburg region of KZN.

Cormac has been appointed to a postdoctoral fellowship at UKZN, which is expanding on the findings of his PhD and involves supervising postgraduate students. He intends to pursue an academic career.

Words: Christine Cuénod

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini