Biography
Kulani Nyakane hails from the Bushbuckridge region in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. In 2012, he earned a National Diploma in Nature Conservation from Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria. Currently, he is pursuing an Advanced Diploma in Nature Conservation, he’s deeply committed to expanding his expertise in the field.
His journey in conservation commenced in 2013 when he assumed the role of an Ecological Research Technician at Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in Limpopo province. His responsibilities spanned diverse tasks from data collection for ecological research to veld condition assessment, wildlife management, game capture, wildlife tracking, environmental education, and safeguarding the reserve against threats like poaching.
Transitioning to Cape Town from August 2015 to May 2017, he served as a Field Manager for an environmental consultancy, Human Wildlife Solutions. In this capacity, Kulani spearheaded efforts in mitigating human-wildlife conflicts, primarily focusing on baboon troops in the Cape Peninsula. He was instrumental in raising awareness about conservation issues during this tenure.
His commitment to conservation led him to join the Endangered Wildlife Trust in September 2017, where he undertook the challenging role of a Carnivore Conservation Field Officer within the Carnivore Conservation Programme. Kulani’s primary focus revolves around engaging with communities bordering protected conservation areas in the western Greater Kruger National Park boundary. He plays a crucial role in investigating threats to carnivore populations, mitigating human-wildlife conflicts, raising awareness about carnivore conservation among rural communities and high-end tourism sectors, and contributing to wildlife poisoning response training for rangers and conservationists across Africa.