Jeffery Mwila
Jeff was born in Kopa Village in Mpika, Muchinga Province, an area rich in Zambia’s natural beauty but distant from the opportunities he now enjoys. Jeff’s journey from this humble background to becoming a conservation professional reflects his hard work and perseverance. His interest in wildlife and the environment developed at an early age, influenced by Zambia’s rich biodiversity.
This passion motivated him to pursue a BSc in Wildlife Management at the Copperbelt University (CBU), where he acquired the foundational knowledge and skills required to address the challenges facing wildlife conservation today. Jeff is now pursuing an MSc in Conservation Biology at the University of Cape Town, with the objective of strengthening his expertise and becoming a global change maker in conservation.
For Jeff, CBU was more than just a university – it was his transformative experience. His time there not only sharpened his academic skills but also revealed the power of networking and relationship building, which he now views as the most effective tools in his social and professional lives.
During his time at CBU, he actively participated in both academic and extracurricular activities, which enriched his overall university experience. He served as class representative from his first year through to his final year, and also as Vice President of the Natural Resources and Environmental Society. These leadership roles provided him with opportunities to collaborate closely with both students and academics, fostering valuable relationships, especially with Dr Moses Chibesa, Dr Namukonda, and Dr Chama, who have been instrumental mentors throughout his academic and professional journey.
During the final year of his BSc, Jeff secured a spot at a highly competitive summer school in South Africa organised by the Universities of Greifswald and Kwazulu-Natal. Out of numerous applicants, he was the only student chosen from Zambia, and this opportunity strengthened his skills and built lasting networks that resulted in further opportunities, such as attending a data analysis and experimental design course in Namibia in 2020, co-organized by Potsdam University and the Namibia University of Science and Technology, and a scientific writing course organised by Potsdam University. He also became an alumnus of the SPACES PROJECT II, which focuses on environmental justice.
Jeff is a firm believer in networking, and he has mastered this art. In 2021 he was invited to join the Social and Environmental Trade-Offs in African Agriculture (SENTINEL) project as a field research assistant, where he had a chance to work on birds, bats and insects. The project focused on the impact of agricultural expansion on biodiversity. Working alongside various scientists and postdoctoral researchers from Imperial College London and the CBU, Jeff gained invaluable exposure to multicultural teams and diverse wildlife specialists. He also connected colleagues with the project, further demonstrating the power of a well-nurtured professional network.
Jeff’s interests are in data management, GIS, bird ringing and all things related to wildlife.
His professional roles have included:
- Senior Field & Data Ecologist with Musekese Conservation. He led field-based ecological research and monitoring focused on large carnivores within the Greater Kafue Ecosystem. He combined his scientific expertise, leadership, and hands-on ecological expertise to support data-driven conservation management.
- Data Management Technician with Panthera Wild Cat Conservation. He contributed to the conservation of large carnivores in Zambia's Greater Kafue Ecosystem, managing and analysing data from camera traps and citizen science.
- Field Research Assistant for biodiversity monitoring projects with the International Institute for Environment and Development.
- Executive Member of Bird Watch Zambia, where he collaborates with like-minded professionals to protect Zambia’s avian biodiversity.
Publications:
Bat and bird survey data from different agricultural land use gradients in Ghana and Zambia, 2020–2023
https://doi.org/10.5285/c3b89279-ba7d-4df3-bc6c-82ffcaeaad3d