BRIDGING CULTURES TO SECURE A FUTURE FOR OWLS Zimbabwean conservationist Joan Banda takes us on a journey through her career, including her work in Nigeria, as she delves deep into the mysterious world of belief-based practices and the owl trade.
Northern white-faced owl carcass found at one of the traditional medicine-markets
I joined an encouraging team that comprising my supervisors from the Nocturnal Avian Ecology Lab at the Institute. They were Dr Adams Chaskda, Dr Talatu Tende and my senior colleague Iniunam Iniunam, who navigated the uncertainties and complexities of fieldwork with me during my entire project and stay in Nigeria. We collected data in communities surrounding six Legacy Key Biodiversity Areas in Nigeria’s northern and southern regions. We also visited several traditional medicine markets in both regions, which was an eye-opening experience. We made a real impact. Most of the people we spoke to during our survey asked why we chose owls, and we got to sing praises of the ecological importance of these unsung heroes. We changed some attitudes for the better right away, while others would still need more time.
As for my family and friends who were unsure of my research passions, they have witnessed that I have lived to tell the tale, and owls are special birds like all other species. And like all typical African households, the word will go everywhere before we even publish our findings in greater detail – for which you should stay tuned. I also hope to inspire other conservationists to seek out the “sacred” – they will surely live to tell great tales. I am grateful to Mr. A.P. Leventis for allowing me to study at APLORI and the Raptor Research Foundation for funding this research through the African Raptor Leadership Grant.
Joan Banda assesses senior community members’ familiarity with different owl species.
I found my path to conservation by daring to explore my environment while growing up, often wandering in the bush with my brother and more alone as I grew older. How people coexist with wildlife and the varying levels of love- hate relationships as man continues to interact with nature creatively has always fascinated me. My first shot at making an impact was by researching how livestock farming communities surrounding the Matopos National Park in Zimbabwe could coexist with the wildlife in the park. This was from 2018-2019. The idea was to recommend sites that could manage varying levels of regulated livestock grazing so that the communities’ livestock have access to foraging areas and the wildlife in the park continued to flourish. In addition, I advocate for human and nature’s coexistence in urban areas. I do this through the Matabeleland
(a province in Zimbabwe) Youth Conservation Society, which I co-founded with my colleagues and friends. Through the society, we gather like-minded youth for bird watching and other nature activities to get them to appreciate nature more. My most exciting adventure to date began in 2023, when I received a scholarship to study at APLORI in Nigeria. I dared to venture deeper into unchartered lands when I decided my studies would focus on belief-based use and owl trade in Nigeria. Coming from an African home, family and friends met my decision with mixed feelings. Given the mystical nature of owls, I surprised those around me, particularly by going away so far from home. I had fears of my own. This study was primarily social, and I spoke none of the over 500 dialects in Nigeria.
In order to grasp the extent of danger faced by these understudied birds,
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