Student testimonial
Michou - MSc Animal Sciences (specialisation Animal Ecology)
Michou is pursuing a double master’s degree in Animal Sciences and Bioinformatics. She is passionate about subjects like animal ecology, conservation and genetics. Especially species prone to human-wildlife conflict capture her attention. And this is what she writes her thesis about.
The most memorable experience during my student life was my MSc thesis on hyenas in Africa.
Finding the right study
“Since I was a child, I have always wanted to work with wildlife animals and to become a veterinarian. But I also discovered it is hard to find a job as a wildlife veterinarian. So, I started with the study Biology in Leiden (NL). It turned out this was not the right fit for me as I preferred animals over plants and fungi. Therefore, I looked for alternatives and came across Animal Sciences at Wageningen University and Research with its focus on research. A lot of research is done on livestock animals, and therefore I thought: why not investigate livestock animals? I would like to contribute to the reconstruction of wildlife populations, and studying Animal Sciences would enable me to accomplish this goal.”
Studying two master's degrees
I started with the BSc Animal Sciences, which indeed has a main focus on livestock animals, but I followed a minor in Wildlife Biodiversity and that prepared me well for my current master's, I am doing two at the same time: MSc Animal Sciences and MSc Bioinformatics. By following both studies, I will gain knowledge in both genetics and technology, which I can apply to wildlife animals. Furthermore, I want to broaden my horizon, since it is a challenge to find a job that combines ecology with fieldwork.”
Spot the hyena
“For my MSc Animal Sciences thesis, I went to Kenya for four months. I investigated the conflict of spotted hyenas that eat livestock animals (cows, goats and sheep) of farmers in Africa, and searched for the spots that the hyenas visited frequently and thought of explanations for why they came across these places that often. The results were presented on a map. I found out that hyenas followed human movements. Frequently, problems arose during the rainy season, because the overlap between livestock and natural prey was much larger during this period. These results are meaningful for African farmers, so I am happy to have been part of that.
“As a WUR student, I felt privileged to get the opportunity to do fieldwork in Kenya. If you are interested in wildlife and ecology, you can get many opportunities, just make sure to take the initiative yourself. And even though I am passionate about wildlife, I am still working with livestock animals indirectly. Furthermore, I like that some professors are so passionate about their discipline. It is very inspiring to listen to them during a lecture for example.”
What else to study
“During my second thesis, I will focus on animals from the nature conservation point of view. I will dive into iguanas from the Antillean Islands. During this thesis, the focus will be on the hybridization and inbreeding of these species. To give an example, I will investigate what happens with the gene pool when you cross two related species with each other.”
“I will also have to do an internship and my ultimate dream is to find an internship focusing on nature conservation in a distant country, such as Australia, where I can combine my knowledge of Animal Sciences with Biotechnology.”
Student life
“Besides studying, I am also a member of the Future for Nature Academy, which is a national network of students and graduates throughout the Netherlands with a passion for nature conservation. They organize varying activities to create a platform for people to meet and discuss plans for a better future for nature. Furthermore, I like boxing.”
Take home message
“For future students, I would like to recommend following your path. Do what you like and enjoy the opportunities that WUR gives.”