14th Oppenheimer Research Conference

This year's Conference has a exciting lineup of talks and posters. 

Here we highlight a few that of particular relevance to the African wildlife economy.

AWEI's Journey through ORC 2025

Talks

Day 1: Wed 15 Oct

16:00 – 17:00

Ministerial panel – Alignment of interests: Transitioning from short-term philanthropy to permanent outcome-based capital through the reduction of frictional costs

• Chair: Maxwell Gomera (UNDP South Africa Resident Representative)

• Hon. Bogolo Kenewendo (Minister of Minerals and Energy, Botswana)

• Hon. Dr Rodney Sikumba (Minister of Tourism, Zambia)

• Hon. Jiwoh Abdulai (Minister of Environment and Climate, Sierra Leone)

• Hon. Dr Evelyn Ndlovu (Minister of Environment, Zimbabwe)

Day 2: Thu 16 Oct

11;45 – 12:00

Should wild animal welfare be considered in conservation?

• Dilys Roe (IIED and IUCN SULi)

12:45 – 13:00

Morally contested conservation

• Darragh Hare (WildCRU, University of Oxford)

Day 3: Fri 17 Oct

08:30 – 09:00

Nature works: Turning Africa’s wild side into wealth

• Edwin Tambara (AWF)

11:25 – 11:40

What evidence exists for the financial performance of wildlife-based land use in southern and East Africa

• Susan de Witt (AWEI, University of Stellenbosch)

13:10 – 13:40

Human-centred conservation: Communities at the core

• Katie MacKenzie (Jamma Conservation and Communities)

• Lessah Mandoloma (ICCS, University of Oxford)

15;00 – 16:00

Community Science Roundtable: How can conservation win space for wildlife beyond parks by engaging and improving the wellbeing of communities?

• Duan Biggs (Northern Arizona University)

• Victor Mose (African Conservation Centre)

• Lucy Waruingi (African Conservation Centre)

Posters

An ethnobotanical assessment and conservation status of medicinal plants in the semi-arid Shangani Holistic Ranch and adjacent communities in Zimbabwe

• Chesaid Phili (Chinhoyi University of Technology)

• Olga Kupika (University of Botswana)

• Peter Makumbe (Shangani Holistic Research)

Understanding beneficiary expectations in South African National Parks’ game loan programme

• Klarine Schutte (AWEI, University of Stellenbosch)

• Hayley Clements (AWEI/CST, University of Stellenbosch)

• Howard Hendricks (SANParks)

• Karen Esler (University of Stellenbosch)

How should wild animal welfare be considered in conservation?

• Lauren Harrington (WildCRU, University of Oxford)

• Amy Dickman (WildCRU, University of Oxford)

A One Health framework analysis for sustainable game meat production and supply

• Lydia Bhebe (AWEI, University of Stellenbosch)

• Hayley Clements (AWEI/CST, University of Stellenbosch)

• Wiseman Ndlovu (AWEI, University of Stellenbosch)

Improving the nutritional composition of bread through supplementation with edible insects

• Nkanyezi Radebe (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

• Zabentungwa Hlogwane (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

• Caswell Munyai (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

• Muthulisi Siwela (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

The importance of private land for conservation: An update on the population status of southern giraffe in South Africa

• Rigardt Hoffman (Giraffe Conservation Foundation)

• Courtney Marneweck (Giraffe Conservation Foundation)

• Julian Fennessy (Giraffe Conservation Foundation)

• Daniel Parker (University of Mpumalanga)

Nutritional advancement and colour changes of South African staple food (thin and crumbly maize porridge) when supplemented with edible insects

• Sindiswa Zondo (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

• Zabentungwa Hlongwane (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

• Caswell Munyai (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

• Muthukisi Siwela (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

Rethinking the role of researchers in creating pathways to human-wildlife coexistence

• Yolanda Mutinhima (AWEI/CST, University of Stellenbosch)

• Hayley Clements (AWEI/CST, University of Stellenbosch)

• Lovemore Sibanda

• Darragh Hare (WildCRU, University of Oxford)

The role of edible insects in rural livelihoods, and identified challenges in Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa

• Zabentungwa Hlongwane (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

• Rob Slotow (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

• Caswell Munyai (University of KwaZulu-Natal)