31/07/2026
Notes from the field: PhD candidate, Otshabile Bahetoleng shares.
"When my professor, Amanda St***za, was here, we visited Ecoexist, CLAWS, and spent time with Willemien le Roux, founder of Pabalelo Trust and Kuru Trust.
During the visit, I travelled to the Panhandle, an area of Botswana that I had not visited before. We also drove through the villages of Sankoyo, Mababe, and Khwai, where I saw how people quite literally live side by side with wildlife, including elephants. In Mababe, elephants were scattered around people’s homes in much the same way that cattle, goats, and donkeys are in most villages across Botswana. Seeing this firsthand gave me a deeper appreciation of what coexistence looks like in different parts of the country.
Beyond the landscapes and wildlife, the conversations I had at Ecoexist, CLAWS, and with Willemien le Roux left an equally lasting impression. Together, these experiences reinforced my belief that NGOs could benefit from closer collaboration, cooperation, and co-learning. I learned that Willemien has spent many years documenting Basarwa culture and publishing books that are invaluable resources for researchers and practitioners alike, helping to preserve knowledge while reducing unnecessary duplication of effort. At CLAWS, I spoke with Binang, who coordinates the Herding Programme, and Virginia, who coordinates the Lion Research Programme. They explained both the technical and scientific dimensions of their work while also highlighting how local culture, knowledge, and everyday practices shape conservation efforts. Their perspectives reinforced my view that effective conservation depends not only on scientific expertise but also on understanding and working with the communities whose lives are intertwined with wildlife."
This is conservation in action. This is community work. This is working to make coexistence a lived reality.
