This September ZSL and the EDGE of Existence team will host 10 EDGE Fellows from our 2012-2014 cohort. They will attend a two week Conservation Leadership training course to provide them with the skills necessary to scale up their EDGE projects following the end of their fellowship. They will learn project leadership skills, financial planning, fundraising & donor engagement as well as have the opportunity to network and collaborate with ZSL’s conservation experts.
The following 10 fellows will attend this years course:
EDGE Fellow: Sylvanna Antat
Location: Seychelles
EDGE Species: Elegance Coral, Parasimplastrea coral, Pearl Bubble Coral
Sylvanna has been working as part of the Darwin Funded project ‘A cutting-EDGE approach to saving Seychelles’. Her work has involved mapping three EDGE coral species to understand the impact of marine protected areas, getting communities involved in research and education and awareness in schools and local communities.
EDGE Fellow: Jacob Ngwava
EDGE Species: Du Toit’s Torrent Frog
Jacob has been working on Du Toit’s Torrent Frog which is endemic to Mount Elgon in Kenya. The primary focus of his work is to establish whether the species has gone extinct or if it still persists. He then wants to create a conservation strategy for the species.
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EDGE Fellow: Ambika Khatiwada
Location: Nepal
EDGE Species: Chinese Pangolin
Ambika’s two-year EDGE fellowship has focused on the Chinese Pangolin in Nepal where he works within the National Trust for Nature Conservation. His work includes studying the trade and ecology of Pangolins in the eastern Himalayas. Ambika has also engaged with communities and set up conservation ‘hubs’ to promote pangolin conservation within the locals.
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EDGE Fellow: Radonirina Botosaomananto
Location: Madagascar
EDGE Species: Blister Coral
Rado’s work in Madagascar has focused on the endemic Blister Coral. Rado’s experience working within fisheries has allowed him to engage more effectively with local communities and encourage protection of coral reefs.
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EDGE Fellow: Daira Ximena Chavarro
Location: Colombia
EDGE Species: Handley’s slender mouse opossum
Handley’s slender mouse opossum is extremely poorly understood species that inhabits a small area of the Colombian Andes. Ximena’s fellowship has attempted to collect baseline data on the species to provide a better understanding of its current situation. Ximena has also engaged with communities by carrying eco-walks to teach them about the environment around them.
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EDGE Fellow: Manish Datta
Location: Bangladesh
EDGE Species: South Asian River Dolphin
Manish has been working to understand the impact of entanglement on South Asian river dolphins. His work in the Sundarban region of Bangladesh will help to develop an effectives conservation management plan for the species. Manish has interviewed hundreds of locals to understand how their fishing practices impact the river dolphin population.
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EDGE Fellow: Caleb Ofori-Boateng
Location: Ghana
EDGE Species: Togo slippery frog
Caleb’s fellowship has focused on one of Ghana’s most endangered frogs, the Togo slippery frog. As one of Ghana’s only herpetologists Caleb has been working to collecting ecological data on the slippery frog that will be used to inform action plans created by Ghanaian authorities. Caleb has also received the Future For Nature Award which will allow him to continue his work into the future.
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EDGE Fellow: Diorene Smith Cabellos
Location: Panama
EDGE Species: pygmy three-toed sloth
Diorene’s work has focued on the Island of Escudo de Veraguas which is home to the endemic and critically endangered pygmy three-toed sloth. This has involved carrying out population surveys through the mangrove and forest of the island. To complement the ecological surveys Diorene has engaged with the communities around the island to understand how their lifestyles impact on the species.
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EDGE Fellow: Arun Kanagavel
Location: India
EDGE Species: toad skinned frog
Arun has been collecting baseline data for the toad skinned frog within natural reserves. He has also worked hard to develop a better understanding of the threats this species faces including habitat loss and disturbance.
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EDGE Fellow: Nikita Shiel-Rolle
Location: The Bahamas
EDGE Species: Pillar Coral
Nikita’s fellowship has focused on engaging youth in coral conservation using pillar coral as a flagship species. This has involved training young marine explorers to survey coral reefs and contribute to conservation science. This work has empowered a number of young people across The Bahamas and encouraged them to follow a career in ocean conservation. Nikita was recognised as one of 40 Bahamians who will make a difference over the next 40 years.