NIGHT WATCH

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Why did you study zoology? I’ve loved nature ever since I can remember – especially animals and reptiles. I grew up next to Nelspruit Nature Reserve and I spent a lot of time there with my dog Chunky, looking for snakes and other creepy-crawlies.

This led me to enrol for a bachelor’s degree in Biodiversity and Ecology at Stellenbosch University. Afterwards, I went on to do my master’s degree in Zoology with a focus on Herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians. I was proud to be awarded the Junior Captain Scott Memorial Medal by the South African Academy for Science and Art, which is given each year to the student with the best Zoology or Botany MSc thesis.

What was your thesis about? I investigated the genetic structure of three forest reptile species that are co-distributed along the east coast of South Africa: the Natal black snake ( Macrelaps microlepidotus), Pondo flat gecko ( Afroedura pondolia) and forest thread snake ( Leptotyphlops sylvicolus).

Forest habitats in South Africa are very fragmented and considered the smallest biomes in our country. When habitats fragment like this, the species that live in them become isolated and may acquire enough differences to become different species entirely. Among other things, these genetic differences were what I wanted to study.

What did you discover? From the genetic data, I was able to tell how different the various populations had become from one another since their isolation.

My results showed that the fragmentation of forests along the coast had started between five and ten million years ago, when the global climate became cooler and drier.

There could be as many as 14 species that have gone unrecognised in these forests until now, meaning that our forests have a higher level of biodiversity than we previously thought. Just think, we’re discovering new species to this day!

What field work did you do? The species I was looking for occur all the way from Hogsback and East London in the Eastern Cape, to Kosi Bay in the far north of KZN. I planned my field trips around locations where people had seen the animals I was looking for, and I would stay in backpackers, research cottages or campsites close to the relevant forests and nature reserves. I can honestly say there are very few reserves along the coast that I haven’t been to. In some cases I had to visit a certain location up to four times before I found what I was looking for. I even managed to stumble across two undescribed crab species.

Did you have any trouble finding your critters? At times, yes! I spent anything from an hour to entire days in the forest looking for my reptiles.

The geckos were relatively easy to find because they like to hang around old buildings at night. The thread snakes took a bit more effort because they live most of their lives underground. I had to flip over a lot of rocks and logs. Unfortunately for me, they always seemed to prefer the biggest and heaviest ones! But the Natal black snake was by far the most difficult to find. I needed a lot of luck on my side. They burrow in the loamy soil and leaf litter of the forest floor and are only known to be active on the surface when it rains.

Once found, I would take co-ordinates and collect tissue samples from the specimens; either a small tail tip, a belly scale clipping, or shed skin. This is where I gathered my genetic material from.

Do you have a favourite forest? The forests that stand out are those around Baziya in the Eastern Cape and the various forests of northern Zululand, from the Tugela River to St Lucia.

The Baziya forests have a special place in my memory because of the miserable weather and cold showers I experienced while I was there, but also because the small patches of indigenous forest are so beautiful. These patches are tucked between plantations so they take some finding, but once you enter a patch, the world is filtered with green light and there are many small mountain streams gurgling through. It’s like something from a National Geographic documentary.

What surprised you most during your research? We don’t realise how many hidden gems we have in South Africa. On the Wild Coast, I visited places I had never even heard of before: Mazeppa Bay, Dwesa Nature Reserve, Coffee Bay, Port St Johns, Mbotyi and Mkambati Nature Reserve. Although our forest habitats have a lot of potential, they aren’t always well managed or protected. They are beautiful and may seem pristine, but I encountered a lot of evidence that the forests are being exploited: bark-harvesting, the cutting down of ancient yellowwood trees, snares and even big groups of hunters with dogs.

What must a naturalist always carry in their backpack? There are a few things I always have with me: a field hook for turning over rocks and handling snakes; a powerful torch; my camera; cellphone; vellies; a water bottle and some snacks. If I had to go into the field with just one of these tools, it would be my phone – it’s such a powerful all-in-one device. I use it as a GPS, notepad, camera and even as a torch if I’m in a pinch.

What’s next? I’ve been granted a five-year PhD fellowship in Biology at New York University. If all goes to plan, I’ll start in September. I’m thinking of investigating the adaptations of desert reptiles for my PhD thesis.

– Kyra Tarr See more of Theo’s adventures in nature – search @bush_cow on Instagram.