I’m Waziri Selemani a graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management from Sokoine University of Agriculture  in Tanzania.My past experience includes working on human–wildlife conflict mitigation ( human-elephants conflicts & human-carnivore conflicts mitigation ), community engagement in conservation initiatives ( through conservation education) and biodiversity conservation, has given me valuable experience and strengthened my passion for protecting wildlife and ecosystems. I’m excited to be part of this community, connect with like-minded people, and learn from your experiences while sharing mine too.

Passionate about biodiversity and conservation, I hold a Master’s degree in Protected Area Management from the Regional Post-Graduate Training School on Integrated Management of Tropical Forests and Lands (ERAIFT), with specialized training at the School of Wildlife Specialists in Garoua. My background combines ecological fieldwork, community-based conservation, and data analysis using tools such as QGIS, R, SMART, EarthRanger, and KoboToolbox. I adapt easily to field conditions, communicate effectively with local communities, and enjoy collaborating in multidisciplinary teams. I’m driven by a strong commitment to advancing wildlife research, protecting habitats, and promoting sustainable development across Africa and beyond. 

An explorer and an aspirant biodiversity conservation researcher. I seek to delve deeper into the study of the human-nature nexus and strive to foster more harmonious coexistence. I have gained brief experience in wildlife conservation at the Creative Conservation Alliance, working with Western Hoolock Gibbons and a few other wild animals. I am also working as an Associate Trainer at Mekateam, a game-based pedagogy where I provide training on basic climate literacy and biodiversity conservation to youth. Moreover, I synthesize and express my understanding of biodiversity and the natural world through my initiative, 'Toru.' Currently, I am undertaking research on Asian Elephants addressing the human-elephant conflict in Bangladesh.

Damas has MSc in Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation for Water Resources and Environment Management from University of Twenty in Netherlands, is a well-trained Civil & Water Resources Engineer and Environment Expert. his expertise lies in areas of Hydrological Modeling, WASH, community-based natural resources management, institutional strengthening, GIS and Remote Sensing, governance, Integrated Water Resources Management, Climate Change, Environmental Impact Assessment, Payment for Ecosystem Services, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Development of Land use and Forest Management plans, Stakeholders engagement in development process and Resources mobilization, Forest Landscape Restoration, Wetland mapping and monitoring, Project Monitoring and Evaluation and Design of hydro-meteorological monitoring stations. He possesses 12 years of progressive practical experience in the Water and Conservation sector in Tanzania. He has hands-on experience in planning, designing, managing, and executing Water Resources Management Projects as well as Conservation Programs. Damas has worked with various organizations including the Ministry of Water in Tanzania as Hydrologist he was involved in the development of Integrated Water Resources Development and Management Plan (IWRMDP) of the Lake Nyasa Basin Water Board, Songwe River Basin Management Plan (SRBMP), He has also been working with African Wildlife Foundation (AWF-International Conservation Organization) coordinating water resources management programs, and he is currently working with WWF as Program Executant WASH and IWRM. He is mainly responsible with coordination and delivery of Mara River Catchment Conservation (MRC) Project (USAID funded Project) and Mara Wetland Conservation Project (WetCoP) in the Serengeti - Mara sub-landscape of the Southern Kenya – Northern Tanzania (SOKNOT) Landscape.

Mr. Paudel currently serves as a senior program manager at Bird Conservation Nepal. He has over fourteen years of experience in bird and biodiversity conservation, fundraising, project planning and implementation, and engaging with local communities to safeguard threatened bird species.

My conservation career started in 1992 when I helped set up and joined a University expedition to the Bolivian Amazon. What started out as a 3-month experience ended up being a life-changing inflection point that set my professional and personal course to the present day. My conservation experience was built bottom-up and hands-on, and includes field data collection and logistics, grassroots organization leadership and project management, community engagement and capacity building, M&E, training and behavior change, and lately climate education through authorship of graphic novels and other resources. My conservation career includes positions as a senior staff member and a principal investigator at the Bolivian BirdLife Partner Armonía, field investigator in the Gran Chaco with WCS Bolivia, field logistics officer for Conservation International's RAP expeditions, and Programme Manager and Senior Manager of M&E at Rare. I currently work as Senior Behaviour Change Specialist with TRAFFIC International, applying behavioural science approaches to support TRAFFIC's work across wildlife supply chains globally. 

Conservation Evangelist and Writer, Hobby Birdwatcher and Conservation Volunteer. I regularly take part in Pro Bono Consulting for Wildlife Projects.  Professional Certificate in Measuring and Monitoring Urban Nature IUCN 

I am a skilled professional with eight years of experience in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) for USAID-funded projects. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Demography with Economics and a Master of Science in Public Health, both from the University of Zambia. Currently, I oversee MERL activities for the USAID funded project to achieve landscape outcomes and ensure compliance with USAID requirements. My role involves managing metrics dashboards, overseeing research and data collection, and sharing lessons learned for adaptive management. I am proficient in statistical packages (SPSS, Stata, Epi-data, SMARTCARE) and Microsoft Office Suite, and excel in multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural team settings.

With a master degree in Protected Areas Management, I am working in the wildlife conservation unit as part of my role at APASAT NGO. My role focus on data collection on wildlife, field assessments, human wildlife coexistence and local community’s engagement in conservation efforts. This includes project management, proposal writing for funding and team supervision. I am currently leading a project on Human-Wildlife Coexistence, specifically addressing coexistence challenges between communities and the Critically Endangered Red-bellied Monkey (Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster) in the Biosphere Reserve of Ouémé. I am leading the team to conduct primate population monitoring, assess the interactions between local populations and primates, undertake coexistence strategies through environmental education, alternative livelihoods, and non-lethal deterrents and enhance community involvement in conservation approaches.

I'm a children's book author with a focus on creating books that ignite passion and curiosity for wildlife and wild places in young readers. "If we care about animals, we'll want to protect them." I'm looking to connect with professionals who are studying and/or are actively helping in advancing wildlife conservation efforts in general. I am also a beginning nature photographer with a passion for capturing the unique personalities of each animal I see. (That's the goal, anyhow!) I've had a lifelong passion for animals and want to learn all I can and share what I can with young readers, hopefully inspiring the next wave of conservationists, naturalists, scientists, etc.!