EWCP Research Assistant

Esme Stewart

PROFILE

Growing up in the English countryside, I spent countless hours exploring wild places around my home. This sparked a passion for nature and wildlife from a young age. After completing a BSc in Zoology at the University of Leeds, I interned for a rhino ecotourism company in Zambia, working to integrate tourism and conservation initiatives in North Luangwa National Park. This experience reinforced my interest in balancing wildlife protection with sustainable tourism.

After graduating, I joined Volcanoes Safaris, a leading great ape ecotourism company in Uganda and Rwanda, as the Community and Conservation Project Manager. In the role, I collaborated with leading organizations to address human-wildlife conflict, mitigate zoonotic disease transmission, and implement responsible tourism protocols.

Building meaningful collaborations between communities and the private sector has always been important in my work. I helped develop a partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute, local leaders and the private sector introducing the Roots & Shoots programme in western Uganda, encouraging environmental engagement amongst students.

I was honoured to be a part of the 2025 WildCRU Postgraduate Diploma program. For the Diploma project, I worked with the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme to conduct research on the habitat selection of Ethiopian Wolves during their denning season.

Since graduating, I have joined the EWCP team to assist their work in protecting the Ethiopian Wolf and their habitats.

WildCRU