Ms Leawin Africa’s master’s research contributes valuable knowledge about African freshwater eels – an understudied group of migratory fish – and uncovers strongholds for vulnerable native species in South Africa.
Africa’s work focused on migratory fish and river connectivity, identifying strongholds for native species at risk of extinction.
Africa, of Potchefstroom, earned her undergraduate and honours degrees from North-West University. During her honours, she studied for a semester at Arkansas State University in the United States.
Specialising in aquatic ecosystem health, she later joined UKZN for her master’s, drawn there by a funded project that aligned with her passion for fishing.
Supervised by Professor Colleen Downs, Dr Matthew Burnett and Dr Céline Hanzen, Africa investigated the recruitment and presence of native migratory fish species in KwaZulu-Natal. She focused particularly on African freshwater eels, long-distance catadromous migrants that rely on marine and freshwater ecosystems to complete their life cycles. These eels are indicators of the ecological integrity of riverine, estuarine, and ocean environments, have high economic value and are vital to biodiversity in tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate waters. As threats to them increase, understanding their ecology and role in local livelihoods is critical, especially for vulnerable communities reliant on subsistence fisheries.
Africa reviewed the existing literature on eels in the Western Indian Ocean region, assessed their recruitment and escapement in the uMngeni and uThukela River estuaries, and evaluated their contribution to fisheries and local livelihoods. She also conducted a regional-scale ecological risk assessment of multiple stressors affecting eel populations and made recommendations for sustainable management and conservation. Her research included examining how barriers such as dams, bridges and weirs hinder fish migration.
She was fascinated by the glass eel stage, observing their entry into rivers from the sea, often at night and during full moons. Her work contributed to updating outdated studies on glass eel recruitment in South Africa. Although she discovered alarming numbers of non-native fish species threatening native populations, she also found areas where vulnerable native species were thriving – an encouraging sign that conservation efforts are having an impact.
Africa found the diversity of cultures at UKZN inspiring and appreciated the supportive environment in Downs’ lab, from fellow students to the broader university community. Her early curiosity about animal behaviour and biodiversity, environmental awareness and a desire to spread knowledge drove her to pursue ecological sciences.
The COVID-19 pandemic struck during her first year of research, delaying fieldwork by at least six months. She also faced practical challenges, including stolen or emptied nets, floods and heavy rainfall, making sampling challenging. After her fieldwork, she returned home to assist her single mother, facing health challenges, and younger siblings while dealing with her own medical issues, which further delayed her writing. Despite these setbacks, she completed her thesis with the support of her supervisors and family.
Africa plans to gain more experience before pursuing PhD studies and hopes to build a research career with a substantial fieldwork component.
Passionate about inspiring the next generation of scientists, she thanked her supervisors for their guidance, the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association and Durban Research Action Partnership for funding, and her family for instilling a lifelong love of nature in her.
Words: Christine Cuénod
Photograph: Sethu Dlamini
