A CROYDON student has flown to Uganda in search of a way for humans and animals to live together in harmony in tropical rainforests.
Aimee Oxley, from South Croydon, has loved the rainforest since she learnt about the deforestation of the Amazon in a geography lesson when she was 11.
And now the 29-year-old is studying how human actions affect chimpanzees in rainforests as part of her PhD at Oxford Brookes University. She flew to Masindi in Uganda two weeks ago for two-and-a-half months to lay the groundwork for a year-long research project next year.
Aimee, who attended Croydon High School, explained that as the world's population grows the rainforests are being chopped down for fuel, timber and to make room to grow crops. This means forest chimps come down into nearby villages to raid farmlands, and have even been known to attack children.
"People are then very angry and often seek revenge on the chimpanzees by setting man-traps or even spearing chimps that enter the crops," said Aimee.
"But they don't understand the chimpanzees are coming in to their villages in the first place because they have cut down and moved in to the chimps' habitat," Aimee said.
This causes an endless spiral of human-wildlife conflict which Aimee is trying to resolve.
"Snaring is a big issue here, over a third of all the chimps here have snare injuries with many of them missing whole limbs. That's a huge number and I would like to try to reduce that," she added.
Aimee spent time in Paraguay, Peru and Indonesia while studying for an Ecological Management masters at Imperial College London, but chose Uganda for her PhD because there is not much research on primates in tropical forests in Africa.
She said: "The rainforest is an incredible place. You never know if today might be the day you bump into a sun bear, a snake, a deer or a bush pig, or you might see some interesting primate behaviour.
"For sure you get soaked through from the rain, a lot! And there are always the creepy crawlies.
"I will work with everyone possible who might be able to translate my results into conservation action."
This includes conservation NGOs, academics and importantly local villagers. She plans to contribute to the community conservation education programme at Budongo Conservation Field Station in Masindi, and to organise meetings with local villages.
Aimee's pilot study has been funded by the Primate Society of Great Britain, Gilchrist Educational Trust and through the generosity of friends, family and the public who contributed over £2000 via crowdfunder.
To help visit www.indiegogo.com/ projects/chimpanzees-on-the-edge
