Detailed Description
· Where: Zambia (Kasanka National Park is main base, plus Kafue National Park)
· When: Late March/early April 2026 (Dates TBC)
The rich biological diversity of sub-Saharan Africa makes this an exceptional place to learn about zoology. The field course will be based largely in Kasanka National Park, Zambia, (see here for more information) where the University of Sussex has recently established a long-term field base complete with a new field camp. We are also partnering Kasanka in efforts to combat poaching, including through the creation of alternative livelihoods for people in a very economically deprived region. So this is no ordinary 'safari': you'll be seeing real conservation in action! Kasanka is home to the largest migration of mammals anywhere in the word - it is visited annually by tens of thousands of straw-coloured fruit bats that travel thousands of miles to reach it. While the fruit-bats will not be there when we visit, you will experience an amazing variety of other bat species, larger mammals, birds, invertebrates and amphibians. We will also visit the flagship Kafue National Park which covers an area similar to Wales and which has important populations of elephants and other mega-fauna so that you can learn about the differences in conservation strategies applied in parks with different levels of income and tourism.
You are expected to organise your own flights. On arrival in Zambia, we will transfer by minibus to a night stop-over (at a location with flying squirrels), before continuing the long drive to reach Kasanka. We will then spend three days learning about the rich biodiversity of the park, followed by independent research projects lasting 4-5 days. Previous projects include camera trapping to investigate use of dung sites by civets, using tracks and signs to investigate park use by wildlife (including elephants), behavioural studies of primates, photographic cataloguing of dung beetles, studies of habitat associations of frogs, and investigations of dragonfly and bat diversity. All projects will contribute to the collection of long-term datasets that will be used directly to inform the conservation management of the park, and one of our key priorities is to help understand how the needs of wildlife can be accommodated alongside sustainable livelihoods for local populations. We will then transfer to Kafue, one of Zambia's flagship national parks (again with an overnight stop on the way). Here activities will include dawn/dusk game drives to spot species including elephants and if we're lucky leopards or even wild dogs; a river cruise to see hippos, kingfishers and crocodiles, and visits to either an anti-poaching unit or a centre that rescues primates from illegal hunting.
Important requirements to be aware of, please read carefully before selecting this field course:
In addition to the standard vaccinations advised by the NHS (inc. tetanus, hepatitis A, diphtheria) you will also need a rabies vaccination if you want to do a project on small mammals or bats. You will also need antimalarial tablets and you must know your blood group. Because peanuts are a staple food of the region, we cannot cater for students with peanut allergies.
We will have long days in the field followed by evening activities, for an intensive but rewarding experience. Flexibility for engagement to all activities can be provided when necessary (e.g. pre-existing medical conditions). Students will be sharing tents and toilet facilities for the duration of the field course, so space for social dispersion will be limited.
Note that there are no direct flights from the UK, but there are various options for you to choose from (including travelling on the same flights as staff if you wish). We usually take flights via Qatar or United Arab Emirates. There will be long transfers by minibus between destinations, on roads that are sometimes bumpy. This is all part of the adventure, and you will see a lot on the way, but it also means you will be in close contact with other people for many hours at a time.
Email lifesci@sussex.ac.uk / ebe@sussex.ac.uk / F.Mathews@sussex.ac.uk for queries
** FULL PAYMENT OF THIS FEE MUST BE MADE AT LEAST 1 WEEK PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.**
