summer session II

Kenya

Carnivores of the African Plains (Kenya)

At A Glance

04 Weeks | 04 Credits
Summer 2021

Jul 11 - Aug 10

Open

Prerequisites

None

Sample Itinerary
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Carnivores of the African Plains

Rift Valley, Kenya

SUMMER 2021 PROGRAM UPDATE: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, SFS has shifted this program, which is normally offered at our Tanzania Center, to be based at our Kenya Center for Summer 2021. If you are interested in applying for the Summer 2022 session which will be based in Tanzania, click here to see the program page. Check out a list of other available Summer 2021 programs here.

 
Kenya is home to more than 35 species of carnivores, including the African lion, cheetah, leopard, and wild dog – all of which are on the IUCN Red List. Study the behavioral ecology and conservation challenges facing these incredible creatures, while observing some of Africa’s largest remaining carnivore guilds up close.

  • Visit the Amboseli National Park to learn from leading lion researchers and analyze pride population dynamics and individual behavior using radio telemetry and camera trapping data

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Academics

This academically rigorous program follows a six-day/week schedule. The interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to help students actively discover and understand the complexities of environmental, social, and economic issues in Kenya.

Major academic themes include:

  • Carnivore behavioral ecology
  • Predator-prey interactions
  • Human-wildlife conflict
  • Wildlife and natural resource management

Courses

On the Carnivores of the African Plains program, you will take one 4-credit course. This course is participatory in nature and is designed to foster inquiry and active learning combining lectures, field exercises, assignments, and tests. This course is taught in English.

Click on the course to view a description and download a sample syllabus from the Tanzania-based version of this program

Core Skills

You will gain practical skills in the field such as: animal behavior observation, radio telemetry and camera trapping, species identification, wildlife census techniques, basic Swahili language skills, and quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.

Field Sites

You will visit different ecosystems and communities which may include the vast savannas at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, national parks and other wildlife conservation areas (community sanctuaries, Maasai ranches) in the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem, Maasai communities, rugged wilderness and peaks of the Chyulu Hills, and wildlife migratory corridors.

Resources

A summer with SFS!

Take back-to-back summer sessions and get the hands-on learning and skill-building experiences of an internship, while also going off the beaten path and exploring the world. Each summer session focuses on a different topic. Receive a $1,000 discount on your second session (effective for Summer 2020).

RECOMMENDED PROGRAM COMBO
Fundamentals of Wildlife Management (Kenya Summer I)

Check it out
All program components are subject to change.

‌Where You'll Live

The Center lies in the heart of Kenya’s Rift Valley, nestled between three world-famous national parks. The snow-capped peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro towers over miles of savanna, replete with a diversity of wildlife. Students and staff live on a sprawling, grassy campus made up of traditional thatched bandas (cabins) and a central chumba (main building), just down the road from the small town of Kimana.

  • Dorm living with 4-person bandas
  • Chumba contains classroom, computer lab, and study spaces
  • Kitchen and dining hall, on-site cooking staff
  • Campus offers amazing views of Mt. Kilimanjaro
  • One-mile running trail on campus
  • Volleyball, soccer, Frisbee, and fire pit

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