When the rains come late or the rivers run dry, it’s not only people who feel the change—predators do too. Lions, leopards, and other great hunters are roaming in new ways, crossing into places where people live, herd, and farm. In Botswana and beyond, climate change is reshaping the delicate balance of coexistence between communities and wildlife. This conversation brings to life the stories of those on the frontlines—herders protecting their cattle, families adjusting to shifting seasons, and conservationists working to understand predator behaviour. Together, we ask: how can people and predators find space to survive and thrive in a changing climate?
Leigh West, PhD Candidate, University of Washington
Leigh is a wildlife researcher and science communicator whose work investigates how climate change shapes social-ecological communities. She is completing her PhD at the University of Washington, where she studies the effects of drought on large carnivores in Botswana’s Okavango Delta and how these changes influence coexistence with people. Leigh has more than a decade of field research experience across North America, Antarctica, and Africa. Alongside her research, she is passionate about sharing science beyond academia. She holds a Master’s degree in Science Communication from Imperial College London and has consulted on a children’s animated television series in development, bringing ecological accuracy into creative storytelling. Leigh is committed to bridging research and outreach to support coexistence between people and wildlife in a rapidly changing climate.
Shifting Climates, Shifting Boundaries from Botswana and beyond
Date: Saturday, 27 Sep 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Onlink link will be shared upon registration.
