Pango - Elias Mubobo
Elias Mubobo - Wildlife Veterinarian- Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique; Wild Hope episode “Pangolin Protectors” in collaboration with NEWF and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios.
Funding for Elias’s character was provided by NEWF. We hope this extends the impact of his Pangolin Research and protection. Keen to help us, Be in Touch!
Elias Mubobo - Wildlife Veterinarian; Gorongosa National Park.
His Work and Research: As a wildlife vet at Gorongosa National Park, Elias’s work can vary significantly from day to day. Wildlife vets are involved in any programme where an animal is hurt, could be hurt or needs care. They respond to emergencies when animals are stuck in snares, participate in wildlife reintroduction programmes, assist with collaring programmes to track animals, are part of game capture efforts to catch and move animals and more. As you can learn in the video above, Elias has a particular interest in pangolins. In addition to helping rehabilitate those that have been rescued from the illegal animal trade, he works to educate local communities on the importance of pangolins and why they should be protected. He also conducts research. His current studies are on the importance of the pangolin to the environment and looking at how the number of scales on a varies based on their sex - there are many questions to ask about these shy and elusive animals . Elias also studies the ethology (animal behaviour) and preferred habitats of the different carnivores that live in Gongorosa National Park - lions, leopards, hyenas and wild dogs.
His Scientific Spark: “I fell in love with science when I was little, particularly medical science, because I didn’t like seeing a sick animal. Whenever I did, I tried to help.”
His Superpowers: “My technical power lies in knowledge of the ethology (animal behaviour) of different groups of animals, from carnivores to pangolins.”
His Heroes: “My parents and my brothers, because they gave me a good education to become the person that I am today.”
His Top Tips: “Fight for your dreams and don’t give up because it is with focus and determination that we can achieve the future we want.”
On Overcoming Challenges: ”Difficulties cannot be a reason for us to become excellent biologists, doctors or engineers, on the contrary, it is our driving force to achieve what we desire.”
Characteristics Need to Succeed (in order): Curiosity, creativity, hard work and communication.
What Else You Need: Honesty, respect, integrity, responsibility and professionalism.
Strengths as a Scientist: Communication, teamwork, discipline and responsibility.