Johanna M. Taylor,

Pro.Sci.Nat: 118815

johanna@adventureiswild.com

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Professional Profile

Wildlife ecologist with extensive experience in conservation, specalising in the monitoring, research, education and management of diverse species. Skilled in both collaborative team environments and independing fieldwork. Reserach interestes include carnivore population dynamics and the factors influencing movement across landscapes.

Strengths include:

• Field work and research
• Carnivore conservation
• Detailed and organised record keeper
• Scientific presentations, publications, storytelling and educational outreach

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Professional Experience

Karingani Game Reserve
Mozambique
Field Ecology Technician and Digital Media Manager
March 2020 – Present

Responsibilities include developing, implementing and overseeing wildlife monitoring
programmes, conducting data collection and analysis, predator census surveys,
assisting with wildlife translocations, responding to HWC situations, managing
biological data, facilitating relationships with project donors and sponsors and support
research, including presenting at meetings and conferences. Additional duties include
digital media publications, social media management, report writing, content creation,
and photography.

Freelance Ecologist
Southern Africa
September 2017 – March 2020

Professional conservation scientist through the South African Council for Natural
Scientific Professions. Compensated and voluntary experience supporting a range
of governmental, NGO and private conservation initiatives. Projects include transport
and post-release monitoring for cheetah reintroductions; elephant collaring; capture,
collaring and monitoring of wild dogs; rhino notching and DNA collection; consulting
on camera trap surveys, and conducting GPS cluster analyses of collared leopards.

Panthera
Cape Town, South Africa
Research Technician
June 2017 – April 2019

Research technician in charge of setup and management of camera trap surveys for
an ongoing leopard population density study. Responsibilities included site selection,
camera placement, and managing ecology and volunteer teams assisting with
surveys, as well as collaborating with reserve management. Additionally responsible
for data analysis and statistical modelling, conducting public education, collaborating
with citizen scientists, creating blogs, videos, and social media content.

North West Parks Board Honorary Officer
North West Parks, South Africa
Monitoring and Data Analysis
January 2019 – Present

In a voluntary capacity, Honorary Officer for North West Parks Board, supporting
general, monitoring, and ecological work. Duties encompass monitoring and data
collection for priority species, visitor management, fundraising, CPU support, outreach
and education, and event planning and organisation.

Cheetah Conservation Fund
Otjiwarongo, Namibia
Asst. Operations Manager, Scat Detection Dog Programme Trainer, Volunteer and Intern Programme Supervisor
August 2016 – February 2017

Responsibilities included scheduling staff, volunteers, and interns; daily husbandry
for detection dogs and resident cheetahs; ecological fieldwork; and monitoring
black rhinos and giraffes using camera traps and on-the-ground tracking. Additional
tasks involved organizing and analysing data, drafting research proposals, writing
grants, creating social media content, supporting educational programs, and writing,
compiling, and editing mid-year and annual organisational reports.

Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Mammal Keeper, Lead Hoof stock
May 2015 – August 2016

Responsibilities included management of animal buildings, husbandry care,
area maintenance, assisting in veterinarian medical procedures and conducting
educational programs for Amur leopards, Amur tigers, African lions, cheetahs, clouded
leopards, snow leopard, Northern black rhinos, Masai giraffe, Dama gazelle, springbok,
ostriches, Caribbean flamingos, and Visayan warty pigs.

Frostburg State University
Bismarck, ND , USA
Wildlife Technician
June 2012 – August 2012

Coordinated range assessment surveys for North American river otters and conducted
a research survey on public attitudes toward the environmental and property impacts
of American beavers. Responsibilities included engaging with organisational leaders,
interviewing anglers, distributing and collecting survey questionnaires, and recording
data. Assisted North Dakota Game and Fish with various projects, including deer
necropsies, fisher scat analysis, and the removal of nuisance beaver lodges.

National Geographic Society
Washington, DC, USA
Big Cats Initiative Intern
June 2011 – August 2011

Organised big cat grant applications, press releases, publication, and grantee information and communications, assist in organising the 2011 Big Cats Educator’s Event and the 2011 National Geographic Explorers Symposium. Participated in local outreach and education through the “Cause An Uproar” programme.

Banfield Pet Hospital
Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Veterinary Technician
June 2009 – August 2010 intermittent

Veterinary assistant in medical procedures from general health checks, to administration of vaccinations and medications, to assisting anesthesiologist nurse during surgeries.

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Other Relevant Experience

Wild Dog Advisory Group
South Africa
PR Committee Chairperson
February 2020 – Present

Voluntary position as the committee chairperson for the public relations group for the
Wild Dog Advisory Group – South Africa. Responsibilities include managing a team to
promote and raise awareness for the critically endangered African wild dog through
social media, press releases and in all public and press related capacity.

Southern African Wildlife Management Association
South Africa
Council Member and Scientific Committee Member
2018 – 2023

Responsibilities include reviewing of scientific literature for publication in the African
Journal of Wildlife Research, reviewing of abstracts submitted to the SAWMA annual
wildlife conference, representative of the student members of SAWMA, planning
and organising of the annual conference and running social media accounts for the
association.

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Skills and Abilities

Field Research

• Wildlife surveying and monitoring
• Managing volunteer and ecology teams
• Data collection and analyses and reserch design
• Proficient in ArcGIS, QGIS, GPS, and traditional navigation tools
• Mammal and avian physical capture traps: mist netting, net guns, box traps and foot hold traps.
• Experience with mammal and avian capture methods: mist netting, net guns, box traps,
  foothold traps
• Research design and proposal writing
• Data collection
• Tagging and ringing experience with small mammals, birds, hoofed stock and fish
• Stream sampling methods including backpack electroshocking, boat electroshocking, and kick net sampling
• Skilled in safely handling and shooting large caliber rifles, semi-automatic assault rifles, shotguns, and pistols

Administrative Skills  

• Microsoft Office
• Statistical analysis in R
• Web design and maintenance; HTML
• Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro and Acrobat
• Graphic design
• Social media for conservation professional outreach
• Customer service
• Grant proposal writing
• Supervising and training junior staff and interns

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Education

University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
December 2020
Master of Science Candidate: Conservation Biology
Thesis: Influence of Camera Trap Deployment on Spatial Capture Recapture Estimates of Servals (Leptailurus serval) in Ithala Game Reserve

West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
May 2012
Bachelor of Science
Major: Wildlife and Fisheries Resources
Minor: Conservation Ecology

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