TBL Podcast - Season 13 Episode 8 - Saving the Secretarybird: A Conversation with Cassie Carstens Pt 1

About this episode

The episode features a conversation with Cassie Carstens about his work in conservation and the Secretarybird project.

In this episode I bring you the first of a two part conversation with Cassie Carstens, the Secretarybird Project Manager at BirdLife South Africa. Before we begin, a big thank you to Summerveld Country Lodge for allowing us to record this episode on their premises. The lodge is located in Outer West Durban, and if you ever find yourself in the area, it’s well worth a visit. They serve outstanding food and the service is absolutely excellent. This episode is much more than just a conversation about conservation. It’s an honest look at the journey that shaped Cassie’s love for birds, his passion for species like the Secretarybird and Cape Parrot, and the lessons and mistakes that have helped shape his work along the way. We talk about who Cassie is, what drives him, and what it really looks like to work on the front lines of conservation. I also ask some important questions about the conservation of the Secretarybird, the wider role of BirdLife South Africa, and how decisions are made within the organisation. Along the way, we also get a fascinating glimpse into the world of research. How data is collected, how it is organised, and how it ultimately helps guide the decisions that…

People in this episode

Guest: Cassie Carstens

Topics covered

• conservation
• Secretarybird
• birding
• research
• interview

Keywords

• Secretarybird
• conservation
• BirdLife South Africa
• birding
• research

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BirdLife South Africa

Places: Summerveld Country Lodge, Outer West Durban, Cape Parrot

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