About Siyabonga
I am an Ecologist deeply passionate about understanding the behavioural strategies small mammals use to survive in seasonally food-restricted environments. I completed my Master’s degree in Behavioral Ecology at the University of Witwatersrand, where my research was on the behavior of bush Karoo rats (Otomys unisulcatus) in Namaqualand, South Africa. My study focused on the "plantong" these rodents collect, exploring whether this behavior is an adaptive response to seasonal harshness or simply a by-product of their foraging activities. This research was driven by my desire to uncover how these food specialists manage to thrive in the challenging conditions of the Succulent Karoo semi-deserts.
I have also touched base on a few things: looking at how acacia trees influence grass species around them, using biocontrol agent for plants that are invasive to freshwater systems, rangeland ecology, reforestation of forest back to their natural state, land use by small mammals, using camera traps to understand behavior and diurnal range of small mammals.
Something interesting about me is that I always look like I am angry/frowning, trust me I am not. It’s just that I’m bit sensitive to bright light.