Amy Cooper

Amy grew up in Durban and spent many holidays exploring the stunning landscapes and biodiversity KwaZulu-Natal has to offer.  She took every chance she could to spend time in nature – whether that be the grasslands of the Drakensberg, the wetlands of St Lucia, or the beaches of the KZN South Coast. As she grew older, her love for these ecosystems developed into a desire to help conserve them. This led her to study a four-year degree in Conservation Ecology at Stellenbosch University.

After graduating, Amy felt she needed to gain some practical conservation experience before continuing her studies, so she took a one-year internship at Selati Game Reserve, near Gravelotte, Limpopo. Her role was to assist the research team with their monitoring and research projects. Living in the bush, gaining invaluable field experience, and meeting many passionate and like-minded individuals during her time at Selati really cemented her passion for conservation. At the end of her internship, Amy decided it was time to continue her studies, leading her to this Conservation Biology MSc programme.

In her spare time, Amy can be found reading under a tree, hiking, or swimming in the ocean (the Indian is preferred but she’ll have to get used to the Atlantic).

Thesis: How do body size, territoriality, diet, and primary productivity influence the home-range size of raptors? (Supervisors: Arjun Amar, Chris Vennum).