Rivers of Life Research - UKZN & UMP

12/07/2024

Congratulations to Prof Gordon O'Brien for his excellent work in Science and new awards 💥🎉

23/04/2024

05/03/2024

Now heading into our third year of tagging and research on Pongola Dam, we've had 7 recaptures to date, two of which happened during the 2023 Tigerfish Bonanza. The most recent, landed by the same boat as in the Bonanaza - "B-span" on 27 December 2023. Tigerfish 1163 remarkably travelled to the other side of the lake which is a total of at least 24km. This individual had been tagged for almost a year and a half before it was recaptured. All tigerfish were released safely back into the water.
We look forward to continuing this tagging and research program with Rivers of Life and the University of Mpumalanga in May when we kick off our Autumn season for 2024.

19/02/2024

Crayfish on the move: first record of Redclaw crayfish in Kruger National Park https://buff.ly/3HYr2n1

11/01/2024

POST-DOCTORAL INTERNSHIP/PHD BURSARY FOR FRESHWATER MACROINVERTEBRATE SCIENTIST IN THE LOWVELD.

Rivers of Life Research - UKZN & UMP is an applied research programme based in Mbombela in the Lowveld of South Africa. They are looking for a freshwater macroinvertebrate researcher to work with them on an applied research project in southern Africa from 2024. They are offering a three-year contract internship for a Doctor of Philosophy graduate or for a candidate interested in a PhD.

Requirements for the post includes the following:
🐟 At least two applied research projects as a specialist freshwater macroinvertebrate scientist, and or;
🐟 At least one peer reviewed publication with the applicant the main author or lead macroinvertebrate specialist.

Additional statistical analyses, geographical Information Systems skills, probability modelling expertise/experience would be beneficial to the application.

🚗 Driver's licence is a pre-requisite.

Willingness to be based in Mbombela required. The applicant should be willing to travel throughout the region as a part of a specialist aquatic ecology research team.

Bursary amount depends on qualifications and experience.

Please contact Gordon: [email protected]

Closing date for applications – 16 February 2024.

06/12/2023

The Univeristy of Mpumalanga (UMP) celebrated a decade of dedication, innovation, and transformative education. From humble beginnings in 2013, the university has grown into a comprehensive institution offering a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate studies in various fields.
Rivers of Life forms part of a program under the School of Biology and Environmental Sciences. The team joined an expo were we displayed some of our 'toys' or equipment use to sample freshwater systems as well as our new Ford that makes work and travel between sites on rough terrain a breeze Ford South Africa .
What a wonderfull day full of presentations, discussions and 'show & Tell' discussions on what our group do in the field and the valiable information we gain from the river systems.

21/11/2023

World Fisheries day!
Today we take a chance to recognise the vast and sometimes underappreciated food source for millions of humans - Fish!🐟
In South Africa, the fisheries sector is worth around R6 billion per annum and directly employs around 27 000 people in the commercial sector. Thousands more and their families depend on these resources for food and the basic needs of life.
Let us highlight the critical importance of fish and the lives they sustain, both in and out of water🐟
Happy fishing 🎣

08/11/2023

Prof Gordon O'Brien presented at the River and Environmental Management Cooperation (REMCO) Conference held in Eswatini on the current ecological state of the Incomati Catchment. The conference aimed to produce a valuable platform for the River Basin Institutions to exchange information on effective and efficient water resources management at a basin level.

25/08/2023

Finished off a trip to Liuwa National Park, Zambia. We surveyed the pools and pans to see how fish community structure and abundance could potentially be driving fish-eating waterbird communities.

06/06/2023

Some of the work getting off the ground in KwaZulu-Natal...

In a first for the African continent, researchers at the University of Cape Town are using a cutting-edge technique to fast-track the diagnosis of disease, ensuring patients receive the correct treatment sooner.

27/03/2023

From the Rivers of Life team at the University of Mpumalanga, We would like to thank the Ford Wildlife Foundation Ford South Africa for the partnership and support they provide for us through this vehicle with our Anguillid eel project. Watch this space for more updates on where this Ford will be studying Anguillid eels.

11/11/2022

Dr Matthew James Burnett, Nolwazi Ngcobo, Bradley van Zyl and Angelica Kaiser presented at this years on some of research. We managed a featured article in the Daily Maverick check it out at:

Stained and depleted by the time they reach the coast, many rivers are in trouble. It’s not just sewage, plastic or industrial pollution. A multitude of man-made ‘roadblocks’ are restricting or completely stopping fish and other freshwater life from moving freely to breed and survive.