Dr Laurie Marker of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibia, will be visiting the University of Kent on 10-11 February.
As co-founder and director of a leading carnivore conservation NGO, she has extensive experience in cheetah ecology, veterinary studies, genetics, human-wildlife conflict, and creating alternative livelihoods that are less damaging towards the cheetah. Dr Marker will be giving an afternoon talk to staff and students at Kent’s School of Anthropology and Conservation on 10 February (time and location TBC).
Dr Marker won the Tyler Prize for her initiative to make a business out of cutting invasive bush in Namibia and turning it into eco-friendly fuel logs, which not only provides jobs to previously disadvantaged people, but also improves habitat for cheetahs. One particular area of interest for Dr Marker is making predator-friendly farms which do not kill cheetahs, and arguing that they be paid a price premium through eco-certification. For more info see here. She has also teamed up with Certified Wildlife Friendly in the US to certify the goat cheese made at CCF. The goats are kept at the facility firstly to teach farmers how to look after goats effectively, especially in areas shared with cheetahs, but also to raise livestock-guarding dogs – large dogs kept with small livestock to protect them from predators. For more information see here.
For more information, please contact Niki Rust at nr208@kent.ac.uk