When you were growing up - what did you want to be? Growing up, we frequently visited a game reserve, and my parents were good friends of the owners. So whenever we were there, we were invited to join in things such as rhino darting and cheetah collaring and monitoring. From then, I knew I had a passion for wildlife and that one day I would work with these animals in one way or another.
As a female ranger - you work in a pretty male-dominated environment. What special talents does a female gaze bring to the world of nature conservation? Women always work much harder to get to where they want to be in their respective industries. There is no difference in nature conservation. I think this is why female rangers pay more attention to detail, as they want everything to be perfect, and they show more empathy in certain situations.
Morukuru Family De Hoop is set in an amazing natural environment - which animal in the reserve is your favourite? The Great White Pelicans are not often seen, so I do appreciate them when I see them.
Morukuru Family De Hoop is famous for being a birders’ paradise. Share some unique sightings with us. The cape vultures are a rare sighting in the reserve, but the only time I saw one, was a unique and special sighting. My favourite pelican sighting was seeing about 100 of them landing in the Vlei and floating down the water, only to return up the Vlei and fly off again.
Whale season is here - is this a time of the year you look forward to? Very much so, as seeing the whales breaching out of the water is always a fantastic sight to see.
August is Women’s month - and then it is downhill to Spring. What are you most looking forward to with the change of season? Tell us about changes in the environment - animals and plants. Definitely the warmer weather, which means the flowers are starting to bloom as we head into spring. This will be my first time being here at this time of the year, but I have heard it is absolutely beautiful!
Is there a woman who has inspired you the most, and why? Definitely. My partner Julia! Every day she inspires me to keep moving forward and pursue my goals, and I will always be grateful to her.
What is your message/advice to young women wanting to follow in the same footsteps as you? Don’t give up, it may seem difficult initially, but it is always worth it in the end. Just keep pushing through.