Ella Caraluzzi, a rising junior on the Colby Women’s Soccer team, arrived in Otjiwarongo, Namibia, eager to trade the familiar fields of her college pitch for the sprawling savannas of a conservation reserve.
A Week of Discovery in the Namibian Reserve
During her seven‑week stay she interned with the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), an organization dedicated to reducing human‑wildlife conflict and preventing cheetah extinction through science, education, and community engagement.
Her research focused on human‑wildlife conflict, examining how the loss of predators reshapes ecosystems, influences disease transmission, and triggers mesopredator release, findings that will inform future conservation strategies.
Working alongside CCF’s education team, Ella helped design and deliver presentations that highlighted the outreach program’s impact on Namibian students, and she conducted pre‑ and post‑surveys to gauge changes in attitudes toward wildlife.
She also shadowed veterinary staff, observing a full health workup on a cheetah named Tupuka before the animal’s release into the wild, gaining hands‑on experience with wildlife medicine.
In addition to clinical work, Ella participated in camera‑trapping surveys and game counts, collecting data that mapped biodiversity across the reserve and contributed to long‑term monitoring efforts.
A highlight of her experience was joining the livestock guarding dog program, where she studied the training of Anatolian shepherds and other breeds that protect farmers from predators such as leopards and cheetahs, while also caring for the dogs and monitoring their behavior.
Reflecting on the internship, Ella said she felt a renewed passion for wildlife conservation and expressed a clear ambition to pursue a career that blends scientific research with community‑focused solutions, inspired in part by the work of Dr. Laurie Marker.
Beyond the laboratory, she enjoyed building friendships with passionate colleagues, exploring the rugged landscape, and playing soccer with local students, experiences that underscored the importance of community engagement in conservation.