Since an early age I have always had a fascination for nature and animals. Following an undergraduate degree in zoology and ecology, I completed my PhD focusing on the influences of the captive environment on the behaviour and welfare of chimpanzees at the Johannesburg Zoo. I have subsequently conducted worked on other species, including Damaraland mole rats, chacma baboons, vervet monkeys, samango monkeys and leopards and have also conducted research into human behaviour and psychology. My areas of interest are animal behaviour and human and animal psychology, with a particular interest in primate cognition and space use. I have worked in a wide range of contexts, ranging from animal welfare in South Africa to managing research field sites. Additionally, I have been involved in student supervision and lecturing for various institutions.
Experience
2024–present
Research Fellow, Warwick University
2019–2024
Academic and field research manager, Primate and Predator Project
2018–2019
Associate lecturer, University of South Africa
2019–2019
Laboratory manager, Kalahari Meerkat Project
2018–2018
Associate lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand
Education
2012
University of the Witwatersrand, PhD
2007
University of the Witwatersrand, BSc Hons
2006
University of the Witwatersrand, BSc
Publications
2022
Long-term spatial restriction generates deferred limited space use in a zoo-housed chimpanzee group, Animals
2013
Shade as a thermoregulatory resource for captive chimpanzees, Journal of Thermal Biology
2013
Chimpanzees use multiple strategies to limit aggression and stress during spatial density changes, Applied Animal Behaviour Science
2012
Volunteer experience influences the conclusions of behavioural experiments, Applied Animal Behaviour Science