Elsabé monitors priority species at Somkhanda Game Reserve, combining camera trap data management with hands-on fieldwork and species interventions. A BSc graduate in Biodiversity and Ecology with a background in teaching and field guiding, she brings a thoughtful, science-led approach to her daily conservation work.
Elsabé grew up in Burgersdorp, Eastern Cape, and completed a BSc in Biodiversity and Ecology at Stellenbosch University, after which she pursued a postgraduate qualification in teaching and spent time teaching high school biology and environmental management.
In 2022, she left teaching for the bush, gaining field guiding experience in the Limpopo bushveld and falling further in love with conservation. She went on to volunteer full-time at a wildlife rehabilitation centre before joining Wildlife ACT in 2024.
Elsabé joined Wildlife ACT in 2024, beginning her journey as a Priority Species Monitor on iMfolozi before moving on to Somkhanda Game Reserve, where she now monitors endangered and priority species through a combination of camera trap surveys and VHF, LoRa, and satellite collar tracking, maintaining camera sites, processing images, and managing data, as well as heading into the field to observe animal behaviour and condition.
She is also involved in species interventions and translocations, contributing directly to the management and protection of the reserve’s most vulnerable wildlife.
Outside of work, Elsabé enjoys making art, camping, hiking, snorkelling, rock climbing, dancing, and spending time with loved ones.
“I’m most proud of the growth that I have experienced while working for Wildlife ACT. In the few years I have been here, I have gained knowledge, insights, skills, and experiences that I could not even have dreamt of. I look at the world differently now. I am grateful to work for an organisation that trusts and empowers its employees.”