Conservation success stories from the Ecologist of 27 years. Singita Photographer and former guide, Ross Couper, chats to Sarah Clegg, Ecologist at Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve in Zimbabwe, where Singita has two lodges: Singita Pamushana & Malilangwe House. The Malilangwe Trust is our conservation partner in Zimbabwe, responsible for far-reaching community and biodiversity projects. Sarah was the first ecologist at the Malilangwe Trust in 1996 and is responsible for establishing the monitoring systems still in use today. The focus is mainly on black and white rhino populations. They discuss conservation success stories from this Reserve - 130,000 acres of protected wilderness – and how it has evolved over thirty years. As custodians of the reserve, the Malilangwe Trust manages the conservation of 38 habitats. Black and white rhinos were introduced in 1998, it is now a source for translocations elsewhere in Africa. The Trust developed a blueprint for harmony between conservation and community development in neighbouring villages and ensured a sanctuary for wildlife. https://singita.com/conservation/malilangwe https://www.facebook.com/themalilangwetrust Sarah joined the Malilangwe Trust as a MSc student studying the effects of perennial water on the vegetation, and wild herbivores. From 2007 to 2020 she worked as a consulting ecologist, where she focused on rhino monitoring, sustainability, and environmental education for children. She is busy with a Ph.D. in the ecology of black rhino but continues to monitor Malilangwe’s rhino, contributing to rhino management and interventions. In this episode, Ross and Sarah also talk about restocking the reserve; anti-poaching scouts; rhino relocations; community partnership programmes; and the delicate balancing act in this thriving ecosystem. A fascinating conversation with an ecologist with over 27 years of research and success from one reserve.