The Kasanka Trust is a non-profit charitable institution, which secures the future of biodiversity in Kasanka National Park in Zambia. They welcome internships for students interested in wildlife conservation, community engagement, and natural resource management.
Supported by Bats Without Borders (BwB, a UK-based NGO that operates throughout southern Africa), I was privileged to intern with them from October to December 2022. This internship gave me an opportunity to conduct independent research on bats — monitoring bat activity within Kasanka, and to participate in a workshop supported by Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation (MTBC) that aimed at educating bat enthusiasts in surveys and identification. My experience while working with BwB in Kasanka National Park provided many incredible opportunities to learn more about bats. Read more about my internship below:
I was surprised to spend my first day fighting fires. I joined the team in fighting raging fires that threatened the park’s wildlife and tourism infrastructure. This experience left me with many questions about how we might best help surrounding communities prevent accidents during late-season burning and reduce its negative effects on wildlife.
During October and November MTBC workshop participants visited Kasanka National Park to support ecotourism and assist with bat surveys. The research team was led by Merlin Tuttle and Daniel Hargreaves, along with staff from Kasanka Trust. I was able to learn new techniques and participate in survey activities throughout the park. This was an invaluable opportunity to develop new skills. I learned proper mist-netting and bat-handling techniques, and how to use field keys for bat identification.
I was privileged to join Katheryn Leggat, Kasanka Trust’s Knowledge Manager, and her team for surveys of large mammals and counting migrating fruit bats. Leggat’s team carries out annual censuses of both large-bodied mammals and straw-colored fruit bats. Surveys are carried out in September, October, and November, and I joined the team for two of those surveys. While working with Leggat’s team, I learned new techniques such as ‘distance sampling,’ the method used to estimate densities and/or abundance of mammal populations. Counting millions of straw-colored fruit bats is a tricky task. The team at Kasanka used Go-pro cameras to film the bats during their evening emergences. The data was shared with the Max Planck Institute (a German research organization). Bats from the Go-pro footage were counted using artificially intelligent computing tools, developed by the institute. Such hands-on experience helped me better understand the importance of surveying wildlife in protected areas.
When I think back on my time at Kasanka National Park, working with MTBC and BwB were unforgettable. The tasks assigned to me during my internship were varied and inclusive — a mix of field research and office-based tasks (database entry of the ecological information we captured during field work).
The skills and experiences gained during this internship will be a big help in guiding my career studying bats. This exposure greatly broadened my understanding of the importance of conserving biodiversity, including long-neglected animals like bats. My time at Kasanka also connected me to a wide range of helpful bat ecologists and conservationists through workshops and trainings.
I know that I will always be drawn to stay involved with BwB and MTBC whenever possible, so that I can continue learning about bat conservation. Additionally, I plan to further my studies in the field of wildlife conservation and management, by working towards obtaining my MSc degree focusing on bats. My love for these often-misunderstood animals has been ignited and shows no signs of extinguishing.
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Bats are among the most fascinating yet misunderstood creatures in the natural world, and for many conservationists, a single experience can ignite a lifelong passion
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Madelline Mathis has a degree in environmental studies from Rollins College and a passion for wildlife conservation. She is an outstanding nature photographer who has worked extensively with Merlin and other MTBC staff studying and photographing bats in Mozambique, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Texas. Following college graduation, she was employed as an environmental specialist for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. She subsequently founded the Florida chapter of the International DarkSky Association and currently serves on the board of DarkSky Texas. She also serves on the board of Houston Wilderness and was appointed to the Austin Water Resource Community Planning Task Force.
Michael Lazari Karapetian has over twenty years of investment management experience. He has a degree in business management, is a certified NBA agent, and gained early experience as a money manager for the Bank of America where he established model portfolios for high-net-worth clients. In 2003 he founded Lazari Capital Management, Inc. and Lazari Asset Management, Inc. He is President and CIO of both and manages over a half a billion in assets. In his personal time he champions philanthropic causes. He serves on the board of Moravian College and has a strong affinity for wildlife, both funding and volunteering on behalf of endangered species.
