View From Here - Reason Nyengera

From landlocked Zimbabwe to the open ocean…We chat to BirdLife SA’s Albatross Task Force project manager about what it’s like to fight for the survival of these magnificent birds.

- Kyra Tarr

What inspired your choice of work? I was born in a rural part of Masvingo in Zimbabwe, near the Great Zimbabwe ruins. This area is mainly populated by subsistence farmers who depend on crops and livestock for the survival of their families.

As a child, I was very aware of the need to conserve our environment, since our subsistence activities were heavily dependent on natural resources. I knew that there was a need for humans to live in harmony with nature, so I pursued a BSc Honours degree in Forestry and Wildlife Management at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe. I moved to South Africa to further my studies and develop my career path.

How were you introduced to albatrosses? I took part in several volunteer programmes at the University of Cape Town, helping postgraduate students with their research projects. Even though I struggled for a few years to secure a job and to continue my education, I eventually got an opportunity to domyMSc in Zoology at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth.

For my thesis, I researched the influence of human behaviour on the mortality rate of endangered African penguins. It was through this research that I first came into contact with the magnificent albatross.

Why are albatrosses endangered? Albatrosses are slow-maturing seabirds that live long lives – about 50 or more years. They spend most of their time soaring over oceans between Antarctica, Australia, South Africa and South America, on wings that span nearly four metres.