I am currently a doctoral student in the LMI SHUNT International Mixed Laboratory program on the sustainability of the hunting system in the Dahomey Gap (Benin). This is part of the collaboration between the Research Institute for Development (IRD) and the Laboratory of Applied Ecology (LEA) of the University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC). I am currently doing my research on the conservation of the habitats of this hunting system.
I am a research assistant at the Applied Ecology Laboratory at the University of Abomey-Calavi. Thus, from 2022 to 2023, I was a facilitator in a project to restore sacred forests in South Benin.
I am a graduate of Forestry and Environmental Management from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria, with a strong interest in wildlife conservation, biodiversity, ornithology, forestry, and environmental sustainability. I am passionate about understanding and protecting natural ecosystems and hope to build a career that combines field-based conservation, ecological research, environmental management, and community engagement.
My academic training provided me with foundational knowledge and practical experience in areas including forest management, wildlife ecology, biodiversity conservation, nursery management, seed technology, plantation establishment, environmental management, and ecological field surveys. These experiences have strengthened my interest in applying scientific knowledge to real-world environmental and conservation challenges.
I have gained additional practical exposure through participation in conservation and biodiversity initiatives, including the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project (NiBAP) under the A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI). I have also volunteered with the Biodiversity Preservation Center (BPC), Uyo, contributing to biodiversity awareness, environmental education, and conservation-related activities.
I am particularly interested in ornithology, wildlife monitoring, ecological research, habitat conservation, and technology in environmental management. My training in remote sensing and snakebite management has strengthened my field research and environmental monitoring skills. I also actively document biodiversity through wildlife observation, photography, plant cultivation, and bird monitoring and contribute to iNaturalist, where I continue to learn through citizen science and collaboration with naturalists globally.
I am open to cooperation, research, internships, fellowships, scholarships, training, and more academic possibilities as I start my career. Working with researchers, conservation groups, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and other groups that promote environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation excites me.
I am currently looking for possibilities to obtain more experience, contribute to meaningful conservation work, further my professional development, and become a competent wildlife and environmental conservation specialist. 🦁🐍🦅🌳
Feel free to connect with me via the following platforms:
Twitter: Happiness Eniang
Facebook: Happiness Eniang
My background is mainly in species conservation, education and capacity exchange. I researched mother-young interactions in gorillas and chimpanzees, in captivity and the wild. After that, I worked for three years in Indonesia, where I developed and implemented youth ambassador and community engagement programmes on local and regional scales. I co-founded WildHub, a community of nature conservation professionals, in 2020 and work as their Community Lead. I am furthermore on the Advisory Board of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) at the University of Kent where I obtained my PhD on capacity development for conservation in 2022.