Hi everyone,

I'm Douglas and I have recently returned to/become stuck in the UK as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Before this I was working in Namibia as the Lead Researcher/Volunteer Coordinator for a wildlife conservation charity. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh with a BSc in Zoology I volunteered at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo for almost two years before travelling to Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa in 2015 to do some volunteering. This led to me finding out about a research position available in Namibia and in 2016 I returned to work there full-time. 

I love hiking out in the desert and the canyons with my dog and my volunteer groups. Each week we visit the Namib Desert and climb one of the highest sand dunes in the world. Whenever I get a chance to get home to the UK I enjoy getting back out on my mountain bike, and if there's some snow around getting out on my snowboard again.

I have spent years educating the public on wildlife conservation issues and relish opportunities to engage with others on these topics. I've always enjoyed learning new things and I'm excited so see how this course can develop my skills and abilities further. Look forward to meeting you all!