TRINITONIAN APRIL 2018_ONLINE (1)

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ALUMNUS SAVING OUR NATIONAL TREASURES NAME: KELSEY BROWN SCHOOL: TRINITYHOUSE RANDPARK RIDGE YEAR: 2010 ACCOLADES AT THE SCHOOL: AWARDED ACADEMIC COLOURS (2006 - 2010) STUDIES: MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MEDICINE (WILDLIFE STRESS PHYSIOLOGY), UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND (2015 - 2017) Bachelor of Science (Animal Science with Conservation Ecology), Stellenbosch University (2010 - 2014) CURRENT CAREER: DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN VETERINARY SCIENCE (PARACLINICAL SCIENCES) UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (<strong>2018</strong> - PRESENT) Why is wildlife a global treasure? Wildlife is definitely a treasure and important in human life because the maintenance of wildlife means guaranteeing the “balance of nature”, and in consequence the natural cycles of life. Secondly, wildlife has an undeniable economic value; be it in the form of agriculture or tourism. And finally, wildlife has an aesthetic value to human beings and it is part of our cultural heritage. What is Wildlife Stress Physiology? We’re in a catch-22 situation. Because our planet is suffering from a dramatic rate of environmental change, which has led to a substantial decline in global biodiversity, we need to establish effective conservation management strategies to ensure the survival of species. However, conservation practices cause significant physiological stress in the animals that they are trying to protect. How stressed do they get? If the animal is confined for a short while, its response is its ability to adapt to a challenge and survive – fight-or-flight! But, when they are confined 20 | The Trinitonian
for much longer periods or the environment they are in is extremely stressful, this leads to adverse effects. We need to understand these adverse effects in order to maximise our conservation efforts. But I have learned the value of planning, or at least knowing the direction I want to go in before diving in. What are the telltale signs of a stressed animal? Stress is hard to see (visually) and often animals don’t demonstrate any outward, or rather consistent, signs when they are in distress, but the most commonly accepted signs in wild animals are disease, poor conception rates and repetitive stereotypic behaviours, such as pacing. We use both physical as well as behavioural cues. Explain how you conducted some of your research? For my Masters, I was stationed at a wildlife vet in White River, Mpumalanga. My study was conducted on impala and blesbok that were held on site. These animals were monitored and darted on a weekly basis in order for us to collect samples. I analysed these samples to determine stress levels in response to confinement, repeated capture and handling. It was interesting. Sounds like a fun day at the office! I was fortunate enough to be a part of such a great team at the wildlife vet and, in addition to overseeing the care of the animals for my study, I was also able to join the team in the veterinary care of various other wildlife in the area. The practical experience I gained during my time there is invaluable. What is the best part of the job? Definitely to be amongst wildlife, and to know that my research and findings may potentially aid in the successful conservation of some species. I also appreciate that research is an ever-evolving field due to the development of new technologies so there are always new opportunities to refine previous notions. What is the worst part of the job? The worst is to see first-hand the impact that human influence has on animals and the distress that this causes them. It’s heartbreaking! Like what’s happening to the cheetah – another interest of yours! Yes, cheetah numbers have decreased dramatically! The main causes being habitat loss, fragmentation and the disappearance of its prey species. Cheetahs were originally found throughout Africa and in Asia. The lack of suitable habitats has driven cheetahs into human-populated areas, where they are often live-trapped or killed. As the human population continues to increase, it is likely that remaining habitats will deteriorate further and the survival of the species outside of protected areas will worsen. Why has the plight of other animals garnered more attention than that of the cheetah? The cheetah is currently listed as vulnerable on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of species facing extinction in the near future, the cheetah is considered less of a priority than other animals higher up on the list. Conservationists are struggling to ease the current declining trend in the global cheetah population. The Trinitonian | 21
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Page 7 and 8: TO DISCRIMINATE ONLY GENERATES HATE
Page 9 and 10: 4. Connection It’s a spark of ele
Page 11 and 12: FEATURE ARTICLE 7. Rest It’s been
Page 13 and 14: Think about your own behaviour and
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Page 17 and 18: Everything is not ok! The danger wi
Page 19 and 20: P ROFESSIONAL SPORTS SURFACES The T
Page 21: SCHOOL SCOOP The Trinitonian | 19
Page 27 and 28: Farm Outing: Grade 00s enjoyed thei
Page 29 and 30: The Grade 3 class went on a treasur
Page 31 and 32: patience, tolerance and care for ea
Page 33 and 34: Communication Skills Communication
Page 35 and 36: In Natural Science, pupils had to i
Page 37 and 38: In this P4C lesson, the pupils had
Page 39 and 40: We even incorporate our Global Comp
Page 41 and 42: Palesa Bako (Grade 12) makes use of
Page 43 and 44: Our water-drive project - our actio
Page 45 and 46: Mason Ballot and Jared Marais compl
Page 47 and 48: The Grade 5s invested in their hard
Page 49 and 50: Saige van Niekerk and her Buddies.
Page 51 and 52: Our Care Team work hard behind the
Page 53 and 54: Our Music Centre continues to amaze
Page 55 and 56: Gees Week always brings much excite
Page 57 and 58: CAREER FILES are in each group and
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Page 67 and 68: Breathtaking mountain vistas that b
Page 69 and 70: Hole in the Wall at Coffee Bay has
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DRESSMAKER WISHLIST: Vesselina Penc
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WHERE TO SHOP: TailorMe: 51-6th Str
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Drop Off Making a memorable entranc
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5 MAKE-UP HACKS 1. Cover your eyeli
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6. How about fights? Have you had m
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