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Update from our Malawi expedition volunteering with elephants, hippo, lion and African biodiversity
Us staffers (see picture) got together in Lilongwe to load up supplies for a month and trying to leave enough room for the five of us! All went well until four hours into the journey to Vwaza master chef Luka announced that we needed another half-tonne of fresh veg….
Continue reading “Malawi African biodiversity study 2026: At base”Update from our Malawi expedition volunteering with elephants, hippo, lion and African biodiversity
Welcome to the 2026 Malawi diary. My name is Simon and I will be your expedition leader on this African biodiversity expedition to Malawi studying elephants, lions, hippos and other species.
I arrived on Sunday and met with our in-country partners, the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT). On Tuesday we all head to our camp in Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve to get everything ready for the arrival of African biodiversity survey team 1 on Saturday. I hope your preparations are going well and you are excited about the expedition.
Continue reading “Malawi African biodiversity study 2026: Getting ready”Update from our Tien Shan snow leopard expedition
“It’s a nice office you have here.” Barry’s words brought me right back to Earth as I sat sipping hot tea from my thermos. We are currently journeying back from servicing our final camera trap of the season, and I am jotting down notes while looking across the valley at giant glaciers that are normally hidden from view from our base camp. We are in raptures high up in the Jiluu-Suu (“hot water”) valley, taking it all in.
Continue reading “Tien Shan snow leopard 2026: Jiluu-Suu and goodbye”Update from our snow leopard Kyrgyzstan expedition
We’ve hit the halfway mark for our final group of the season. Camp is quiet as all the team are out exploring the area. I find myself at camp in a period of quiet reflection.
Continue reading “Tien Shan snow leopard Kyrgyzstan 2026: Rest day”Update from our snow leopard volunteering expedition
When you read this group 3, which arrived and made their way to base safely, is through their training and into field research.
Continue reading “Tien Shan snow leopard volunteering 2026: Group 3”Update from our snow leopard volunteer expedition
Group 2 has put in a big effort all round. The weather has settled, so we returned to Archali for further surveys. Emil and Kate took the pass on foot, overnighting at 3748 metres. The rest of us, five expeditioners in total, drove around into Archali to meet them.
We have now surveyed extensively in two of the three valleys with some new camera traps in place. Finishing the second snow leopard volunteer expedition week, we alternate big days with easier ones consisting of local interviews. These gather important local insights into raising livestock and the surrounding wildlife. Reports of face to face snow leopard encounters continue, but no hard proof yet.
Continue reading “Tien Shan snow leopard volunteer expedition 2026: Archali and more”Update from our snow leopard conservation expedition
It’s Sunday, midway through group 2. As I write this on our rest day, some of the team are catching up on laundry, some are out with our camp manager in search of petroglyphs, and our scientist is in the zone collating the data we’ve gathered so far. We deserve the break, after some bad weather over the last week.
Continue reading “Tien Shan snow leopard conservation 2026: Good, bad, ugly weather”Update from our snow leopard volunteering Kyrgyzstan
Our second group of team members has settled into base camp, marking the successful completion of our first full day in the high mountains of the Tien Shan. The morning began with an introductory lecture led by expedition scientist Emil, setting the stage for the conservation work ahead. Following the briefing, team members plunged straight into practical preparation, undergoing comprehensive equipment checks and mastering essential navigation skills required for traversing rugged terrain safely.
Continue reading “Tien Shan snow leopard volunteering Kyrgyzstan 2026: Group 2”Update from our snow leopard research in the Tien Shan mountains
Group 1 is done, with excellent results, thank you! We thought 2025 would be hard to beat, but we have made a good start thanks to the efforts of our first snow leopard research group.
Continue reading “Tien Shan snow leopard research 2026: Group 1 done”Update from our snow leopard project to the Tien Shan mountains
It’s been a whirlwind of activities over the last four days on our snow leopard project: Interviews with locals, an overnight survey in neighbouring Archali valley, as well as our usual cell surveys. And, yes, more snow leopard records.
Continue reading “Tien Shan snow leopard project 2026: Whirlwind”