WHO ARE WE, AND WHAT DO WE DO?

Engage Conservation Africa is a new conservation initiative formed by myself Michael Bradley, and my wife Dr Sara Bradley, in 2022. I am a wildlife biologist whose work primarily focuses on Southern African predator species with a particular interest in lions and their behaviour. I grew up in Natal, South Africa and my fondest childhood memories are from my adolescent adventures exploring the African bush and its inhabitants.

In my teenage years I moved to the UK, but my love for Africa stayed strong and I forever yearned to be back home in the bush. Life took me on quite the journey over the next few years, during which I studied music and martial arts and formed a construction business that afforded me opportunities to travel more and explore the world. However, wherever I went, it wasn't Africa, I needed to make a plan to get me back there in some capacity. So, I went to university as a mature student to try and establish a career in wildlife research.

After completing an undergraduate degree in Animal biology, I travelled out to the Limpopo region in the far north of South Africa to take part in a lion monitoring study, investigating lion movement from Botswana's Tuli block into a large South African reserve. It was during this project that I was first introduced to, and fell in love with, the breath-taking ancient landscape of the area and the majestic animals that inhabit this special place. I returned to Africa the following year to manage a lion behavioural study investigating social structures through social network analysis on lion prides at Lionwatch project SA, a lion sanctuary based in the Limpopo region. During my time here I started working with other researchers, vet students and volunteers also involved with the project, and realised my passion for teaching and sharing my field and research experience with other people. For the next 3 years I worked with Lionwatch, acting in a student and volunteer support role as well as managing the sanctuary and farm whilst the owners were away.

Over these years I spent more and more time in Botswana's Tuli Block and realised that I wanted to focus my research and career in this enigmatic and unexplored environment. I also realised that I needed to find a way to share my passion for my work, the wildlife, and my experiences in the African bush with people from all walks of life. To work, explore and engage in this environment is an honour that only a privileged few get to be a part of, and I wanted to change this, and the idea of Engage Conservation Africa was born.

My wife and I sold everything we had and invested it into an exciting new conservancy project based in the western Tuli Block. To us our mission is clear.  To help the project gain a better understanding of its flora and fauna and conserving its vast land through scientific research and hands on habitat management. At Engage Conservation Africa we want to give people like yourself an affordable opportunity to be a part of this exciting work and research and gain new life skills and unparalleled adventure. More than anything, I want you to share the love I have for Africa, its wildlife and the life changing adventures that being here will bring.

Michael Bradley (Founder).​​