Who is Tinomuda ?
Tinomuda Marava is an aspiring ecologist who is pursuing a BSc Honors Degree in Wildlife, Ecology, and Conservation at Chinhoyi University of Technology. Her research interests are in the ecology of African carnivores, whose numbers have been drastically declining as a result of a variety of factors, including but not limited to retaliatory killings and habitat fragmentation.
Who inspires her to pursue conservation as a career ?
Question : Who inspired you to pursue conservation as a career ?
Answer : I'm motivated by Prof. Olga Laiza Kupika, and I naturally like being in the wild and interacting with many tribes. So choosing a profession in conservation was the best choice I've ever made. Just to clarify, aside from my role model, I am passionate about protecting the environment.
Memories and Experiences
Questions: What are the most exciting and challenging moments in your journey so far ?
Answer: The most exciting time in my journey so far was when I was an attachee at the Painted Dog Conservation in Dete Hwange. I was exposed to some actual conservation skills like keeping and tracking the wild dog packs in and around Hwange National Park. When we could go on anti-poaching patrol, which required lengthy walks and extra effort, that was the most difficult for me as a young woman. However, I am happy for the experience since it gave me insight into the conservation industry and what to expect when I begin working in the field.
Challenges faced by woman in conservation
Question: What are the challenges being faced by women in conservation and what can be done to address them ?
Answer: As a young person, I would say that gender roles present women with their greatest obstacle, particularly when attempting to strike a balance between time-consuming domestic responsibilities and career goals. Moreso, harmful cultural norms that prevent women from taking part in community dialogues and decision-making processes for sustainable management are to blame for the low engagement of women in conservation. This indicates that women's needs, priorities, and knowledge are frequently disregarded or overlooked when it comes to managing natural resources and ecosystems. So, in my opinion, prioritising education on the value of women's involvement in conservation is necessary. And a mentoring programme for young women in this sector of work should be established because, undoubtedly, it may be isolating to work in such a male-dominated industry.
Advice to other young women
Ooh well -most of the people tend to draw inspiration from what they love doing as conservationist, I would say if you don't love it, don't do it, and if you love it do it with passion and love and know that in everything we do there are challenges and i would say keep wearing your heels and stand on your ground and raise your head,face the challenges without hesitation and keep it mind that you are a winner
Favorite Animal
African wild dog (Lycoan pictus)
