International Women's Day 2026: Celebrating women at the frontlines of large carnivore conservation

Every day across the landscapes where we work in Africa, women are driving large carnivore conservation from the frontlines, not the sidelines. They are scientists tracking lion and leopard populations, community-based liaison officers navigating complex ecological and socio-cultural dynamics at the grassroots, strategists translating evidence into action, and leaders ensuring that large carnivore conservation delivers tangible value for people and wildlife.

On this International Women’s Day, we are celebrating the women whose dedication, expertise, and quiet persistence make human-large carnivore coexistence possible. In a field historically dominated by men, their contributions are expanding who conservation includes and how it works today.

In this blog, we spotlight six remarkable women we are lucky enough to have in the Lion Landscapes team. They represent the 26 who make up approximately one-third of the total staff across Lion Landscapes and over half of the senior leadership team. Their work, in different ways, is helping build a future where people and wildlife can thrive together.

Eva Kilelii - CCT Programme Officer, Ruaha landscape, Tanzania

My work is about people. I sit with community members, listening to their concerns, and helping them see themselves as active participants in large carnivore conservation, not obstacles to it. When communities directly experience the benefits of having large carnivores in their landscape, they become conservation’s strongest advocates.

The path that led me here began in my early years. Growing up, I witnessed firsthand how difficult it can be when people and wildlife share a landscape. One time, a lion entered a nearby livestock enclosure and killed five cows! The community became very angry, chased after the lion, and started hunting other large carnivores in retaliation. I knew from those early experiences of human-wildlife conflict that I wanted to be part of the solution, not a bystander to the problem. Now, whenever I witness a community choose peaceful, sustainable ways to protect their livestock, such as the fortified livestock enclosures and lion lights, I feel proud and reassured that this work is everything I believe it can be. It is proof that conservation doesn't have to come at the cost of livelihoods, and that coexistence is possible.

I’ve seen how having more women in conservation is transforming the field. We bring diverse perspectives, strong community relationships, and an instinct for collaborative problem-solving. To any girl dreaming of working in this sector, I want you to know that your voice, ideas, and leadership skills matter. Be confident in your abilities, remain curious and open to learning, and never give up on your dreams. This field is waiting for passionate, determined women like you to drive the meaningful, lasting change that our landscapes need.

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Levina Mcharo - Research Assistant, Selous-Nyerere landscape, Tanzania

I grew up in the Kilimanjaro and Arusha region, where tourism and nature were part of everyday life. We were surrounded by the Kilimanjaro and Meru mountains and four national parks with a variety of wildlife. Seeing how communities depend on wildlife and the natural environment sparked my passion for nature and my commitment to preserving it.

Behavioural change in people is one of the most powerful outcomes in conservation. When I see children and adults genuinely caring for wildlife in the local communities today, taking pride in protecting it, and directly benefiting from their presence around us, that tells me something real is happening. It inspires me because I know that my work contributes to solutions that support people, large carnivores, and the wider ecosystem.

One thing that people might be surprised to learn about my role is that I spend much of my time out in the field, collecting data, engaging with communities, and working through often tough conditions. There is a persistent assumption that conservation work, particularly field work, is only for men. As a female researcher, I am out there every day proving otherwise. And it is not just physical endurance the role demands; it takes resilience, problem-solving, and communication skills. Doing this work has realised a dream for me, and I hope it shows other women and girls what is possible.

As more women enter and lead in this field, they challenge old stereotypes and open doors for girls to see conservation as a possible career. To any girl considering this path, I’d say go for it. This field is not reserved for men, and your perspective is not just welcome, it is essential. Conservation keeps evolving, and what it looks like ten years from now will be shaped by the people bold enough to enter it today. You will have the chance to be on the ground, to understand what is really happening, and to bring something unique to the table. Don't shy away from it.

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Miriam Kagore - Lion Extension Officer, Laikipia Landscape, Kenya

I have always felt a deep connection to wildlife and wild places, but what truly inspired me to work in large carnivore conservation was seeing how closely people's lives are intertwined with nature. What keeps me motivated is knowing that even small, consistent efforts can create meaningful change, especially when we work with local communities.

My work involves as much relationship-building and problem-solving as it does wildlife. A typical day can include strategy meetings, logistics, and community engagement alongside fieldwork. It requires adaptability, patience, and a lot of listening. The human dimension of conservation is just as important as the ecological one, and it’s been great seeing community members take ownership of conservation initiatives, not because they were asked to, but because they genuinely believed in them.

Having more women in large carnivore conservation is making the field stronger. Women often bring inclusive leadership styles, strong communication skills, and a good understanding of community dynamics. As more women step into leadership and technical roles, the field becomes more balanced, innovative, and truly representative of the communities it serves. It also sends a powerful message to the next generation about who belongs in these spaces.

My message to any girl considering this path is that you absolutely belong here. Don't wait until you feel ready. We learn through experience, curiosity, and courage. Seek out mentors, ask questions, and remember that making a difference doesn't require perfection, but commitment.

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Nyangeta Magesa - Research Assistant, Ruaha landscape, Tanzania

I grew up in northern Tanzania, near Serengeti National Park, so I heard lots of stories about the beauty of wildlife, but it was joining Lion Landscapes that opened my eyes to the real challenges local communities face when living alongside large carnivores, and inspired me to be part of the solution.

One of my proudest moments was establishing a wildlife club at a local primary school. Seeing how enthusiastically the students and teachers embraced it, the curiosity, the commitment, the pride they took in it, gave me hope. Those children are the next generation of conservation advocates, and if we can reach them early, coexistence becomes something they grow up believing in, not something they have to be convinced of.

My work isn't only about large carnivores in the field. It involves stakeholder engagement, outreach programmes, conflict mitigation, and data collection, often with long days travelling to remote areas. No two days look the same. People are often surprised to learn that conservation requires as much communication, patience, and cultural understanding as it does ecological knowledge.

Having more women in conservation is a game-changer. Women already carry great responsibility at the family and community level. We are natural problem-solvers, negotiators, and relationship-builders. When you bring those skills into large carnivore conservation alongside the skills men have, you get more grounded solutions and outcomes that last. The communities we work with see us, trust us, and listen to us. That makes a huge difference.

To any girl who wants to work in this field, just be passionate, be courageous, and don't let anyone stop you from doing what you believe in. You have the ability to change things more than you might realise. This work needs you.

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Susan Lentaam - Research Assistant, Laikipia landscape, Kenya

My love for wildlife started early, shaped by my father, a livestock farmer who grew up in an area rich in wildlife. When he was a young man, he was speared in the leg by friends while trying to protect a lion that was killing livestock. He told me that story often and explained why large carnivores matter in the ecosystem. I grew up wanting to be on the lion's side. My father believed that to do that, I needed to be strong and brave like a lion. That belief stayed with me, and it's what brought me to large carnivore conservation.

Now I am responsible for tracking all the collared lions and managing all the data collected by teams in the field. It’s not an easy job, but the way technology is transforming what's possible in conservation keeps me motivated. It gives us a powerful edge in managing human-carnivore conflict and handling data in ways that weren't imaginable before. We're always learning, always trying new approaches, and that constant evolution keeps me energised.

One moment I can never forget was when I noticed an unusual movement from a pride that regularly moves through areas of high human-large carnivore conflict. I suspected the lioness might be seriously injured, so my team and I rushed out to find them. When we arrived, we discovered she was nursing cubs. That sight, those small, new lives in a landscape rife with potential conflict, filled me with hope that coexistence is not just possible, but already happening.

Unlike what most people would picture when they think about my role, I am not sitting behind a desk all day. In reality, I'm both at the desk and out in the field. Thanks to technology, I can monitor the movements of every collared lion in real-time, tracking where they are and anticipating potential conflicts before they happen. I also work closely with our LEOs to help them manage their data collection and troubleshoot their phones remotely when needed. Because I track every collared lion’s every movement, it feels like I'm out there with the lions even when I'm not, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Women are proving to be effective leaders in conservation, and our presence is making a real and lasting difference in the field. We bring care and a commitment to show up in the office, in the community, or out in the landscape. To any girl who wants to work in this field, I'll leave you with this: passion is energy. Love what you do, and believe that it truly matters because it does.

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Zainabu Mlaponi - Field Programmes Manager, Selous-Nyerere landscape, Tanzania

What drives me at work is the people. Helping communities navigate the real challenges of living alongside wildlife, and seeing them trust us enough to come back with feedback and engage with our programmes, tells me this work means something beyond a job title.

There are two moments that will stay with me forever. The first was arriving at a community where cattle had been killed from poisoning in a conflict between pastoralists and farmers, and finding people already preparing to eat the meat. We had to act quickly, explaining the dangers and the risks to their health. They listened, and they didn't eat it. In that moment, conservation work became something much more immediate.

The second moment was more personal. When I first started working with Lion Landscapes, some people refused to take me seriously, calling me by men's names and insisting I was doing a man's job. Today, those same people respect what I do. That shift means more to me than I can easily put into words.

People are often surprised to see a young woman from their own community in a role like mine. They expect to see an older man. Sometimes they're even surprised to see me driving a manual car or heading out for fieldwork. There is still an assumption that women can't handle this kind of work. Every time I show up and do it anyway, I hope that assumption gets a little smaller.

Having more women in conservation is quietly changing how people think about who this work is for. When communities see women leading in these spaces, it stops being unusual. It becomes normal, and that matters. To the young girls out there aspiring to work in the wildlife conservation sector, don't worry about what people will say. If your work is keeping others safe and making a difference, do it. People will come around. Let them watch you, and let the work speak for itself.

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The profiles shared here reflect the breadth of talent, courage, and commitment that women bring to large carnivore conservation, from the field to the leadership team. That spirit is embodied by our joint CEOs, Prof. Amy Dickman and Dr Alayne Cotterill, whose careers have been built on the same principles these women live every day: rigorous science, community respect, partnership, and a belief that people and wildlife can coexist.

Dr Alayne Cottreill

Joint CEO, Lion Landscapes

Prof. Amy Dickman

Joint CEO, Lion Landscapes

"It makes sense that, given approximately half of every community we work with is women, we need women in our teams, particularly working in areas where cultural norms mean that women will often only speak their mind to other women, and men to men. Men and women bring very different strengths and perspectives to conservation, and having both at every level means we can make sure all voices are being heard and the solutions we co-develop benefit from that diversity.

When I started my journey as a Field Biologist, I didn’t have a single female role model. I had to overcome a lot of prejudice, but I was lucky to work with some men who were willing to go against the norm and give me opportunities. I am humbled by the fantastic women in conservation today. As female co-CEOs, both Amy and I want to make sure Lion Landscapes is a place where women and men can thrive and shine."

— Alayne

“Women have always been at the heart of what Lion Landscapes does, and who we do it for. The organisation was established by women leaders and is supported daily by amazing female staff, while women in the communities play a crucial role in helping us understand the dynamics of conflict, and what is needed for successful coexistence programmes. I always wanted to be a lion conservationist, but all the ones I knew of and read about were men. I hope that Lion Landscapes is helping change that perception, with women being central at every step of the way.

Women undoubtedly face extra challenges, including everything from facing sexism, dealing with periods and pregnancy in the field, and, sometimes, balancing babies and fieldwork. But women also have great resilience, and their passion and perseverance play an outsized role in changing conservation for the better. I hope every girl and woman feels they have a place in making conservation stronger, and we hope to continue to support them however possible.”

— Amy

To every woman at Lion Landscapes and beyond, working, often against the odds, to make that possible, today we celebrate you and the future you are helping to build. You exemplify what it truly means to #GiveToGain through generosity and collaboration. Happy International Women’s Day!