In June, we proudly celebrated a major milestone for one of CCB’s long-time staff members: a successful PhD defence by Dr. Marie-Charlotte Gielen, who spent years working alongside our team to study wildlife numbers, habitat and movements in the western Kalahari through their tracks..
Marie’s research focused on the effectiveness of wildlife corridors in the Ghanzi District – critical pathways that allow large carnivores and other species to move safely through increasingly fragmented landscape. Her work combined spatial data analysis, mapping with habitat suitability models, and extensive fieldwork using track surveys (counting wildlife footprints along roadways) to estimate animal population densities. To ensure the most accurate estimates, Marie and her team tracked individuals from key wildlife species over 24-hour periods to update the average daily distances they move. This refinement improved the statistical models used for population calculations – making her work the most accurate application of this method to date.
Marie’s research focused on the effectiveness of wildlife corridors in the Ghanzi District – critical pathways that allow large carnivores and other species to move safely through increasingly fragmented landscape. Her work combined spatial data analysis, mapping with habitat suitability models, and extensive fieldwork using track surveys (counting wildlife footprints along roadways) to estimate animal population densities. To ensure the most accurate estimates, Marie and her team tracked individuals from key wildlife species over 24-hour periods to update the average daily distances they move. This refinement improved the statistical models used for population calculations – making her work the most accurate application of this method to date.
Cred: Brigitte Ferauge. UCLouvain
n total, for her track surveys, Marie drove about 20,000 km, camped nearly 6 months in the wilderness, and recorded over 25,357 wildlife tracks. Her trusty 1997 Toyota Hilux Surf became an all-in-one research base: transport, bed, office, and lifeline in the harsh Kalahari terrain. The rugged conditions took their toll, requiring nearly EUR 6000 in repairs just to keep the vehicle going, but the results were well worth it. Thanks to her efforts, we now have detailed population estimates and habitat suitability maps for six large carnivores (lions, leopards, cheetahs, brown hyenas, spotted hyenas, and African wild dogs) and seven large herbivores (blue wildebeest, eland, gemsbok, greater kudu, ostrich, red hartebeest, and springbok).
She also meticulously mapped all cattlepost locations within the corridor – highlighting areas where livestock and carnivore populations overlap. This is critical data that supports our planning for coexistence strategies and helps us prioritise communities most at risk of human-wildlife conflict. Even better, her findings are already influencing policy. Insights from her PhD have contributed to national conservation documents, including Integrated Land Use Management Plan for Ghanzi and Kgalagadi Districts. Her work is helping shape landscape-level strategies for coexistence not only within CCB, but across conservation efforts in GH10, GH11, and beyond – connecting cheetah populations between the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Marie’s PhD, awarded through the UCLouvain in Brussels, Belgium, represents not just years of dedication, but the kind of science that can be applied for tangible impact. We’re thrilled to see her success recognised, and even more excited that she’s already exploring future research opportunities in Botswana. Congratulations, Dr. Gielen, your work has already left indelible tracks across the Kalahari.
She also meticulously mapped all cattlepost locations within the corridor – highlighting areas where livestock and carnivore populations overlap. This is critical data that supports our planning for coexistence strategies and helps us prioritise communities most at risk of human-wildlife conflict. Even better, her findings are already influencing policy. Insights from her PhD have contributed to national conservation documents, including Integrated Land Use Management Plan for Ghanzi and Kgalagadi Districts. Her work is helping shape landscape-level strategies for coexistence not only within CCB, but across conservation efforts in GH10, GH11, and beyond – connecting cheetah populations between the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Marie’s PhD, awarded through the UCLouvain in Brussels, Belgium, represents not just years of dedication, but the kind of science that can be applied for tangible impact. We’re thrilled to see her success recognised, and even more excited that she’s already exploring future research opportunities in Botswana. Congratulations, Dr. Gielen, your work has already left indelible tracks across the Kalahari.
Cred: Alessandro Araldi
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