I am an elephant researcher and co-founder of Southern Tanzania Elephant Program (STEP, www.stzelephants.org). I coordinate STEP’s monitoring and research program and collaborations, and I am a part-time PhD Candidate at the University of Stirling. Having grown up in Tanzania, my long-term goal is to help conserve Tanzania's spectacular wildlife and habitats through research and conservation, in collaboration with Tanzanian colleagues and partners.
Ecology, behaviour and conservation of elephants Human-elephant interactions and coexistence
Article
Smit JB, Searle CE, Buchanan-Smith HM, Strampelli P, Mkuburo L, Kakengi VA, Kohi EM, Dickman AJ & Lee PC (2022) Anthropogenic risk increases night-time activities and associations in African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in the Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystem, Tanzania. African Journal of Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.13083
Article
Strampelli P, Searle CE, Smit JB, Henschel P, Mkuburo L, Ikanda D, Macdonald DW & Dickman AJ (2022) Camera trapping and spatially explicit capture-recapture for the monitoring and conservation management of lions: Insights from a globally important population in Tanzania. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 3 (1), Art. No.: e12129. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12129
Article
Hardouin M, Searle CE, Strampelli P, Smit J, Dickman A, Lobora AL & Rowcliffe JM (2021) Density responses of lesser-studied carnivores to habitat and management strategies in southern Tanzania's Ruaha-Rungwa landscape. PLoS ONE, 16 (3), Art. No.: e0242293. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242293
Article
Searle CE, Smit JB, Cusack JJ, Strampelli P, Grau A, Mkuburo L, Macdonald DW, Loveridge AJ & Dickman AJ (2021) Temporal partitioning and spatiotemporal avoidance among large carnivores in a human-impacted African landscape. PLoS ONE, 16 (9), Art. No.: e0256876. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256876
Article
Searle CE, Smit J, Strampelli P, Mkuburo L, Ikanda D, Macdonald DW, Loveridge AJ & Dickman AJ (2021) Leopard population density varies across habitats and management strategies in a mixed-use Tanzanian landscape. Biological Conservation, 257, Art. No.: 109120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109120
Article
Mkuburo L, Nahonyo C, Smit J, Jones T & Kohi E (2020) Investigation of the effect of poaching on African elephant (Loxodonta africana) group size and composition in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania. Scientific African, 9, Art. No.: e00490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2020.e00490
Article
Smit J, Pozo R, Cusack J, Nowak K & Jones T (2019) Using camera traps to study the age-sex structure and behaviour of crop-using elephants Loxodonta africana in Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Tanzania. Oryx, 53 (2), pp. 368-376. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605317000345
Article
Efficacy of beehive fences as barriers to African elephants: a case study in Tanzania
Scheijen CPJ, Richards SA, Smit J, Jones T & Nowak K (2019) Efficacy of beehive fences as barriers to African elephants: a case study in Tanzania. ORYX, 53 (1), pp. 92-99. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605317001727
Article
Jones T, Cusack J, Pozo R, Smit J, Mkuburo L, Baran P, Lobora A, Mduma S & Foley C (2018) Age structure as an indicator of poaching pressure: insights from rapid assessments of elephant populations across space and time. Ecological Indicators, 88, pp. 115-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.01.030
Newspaper Article
What camera traps tell us about elephants eating crops
Smit J (2017) What camera traps tell us about elephants eating crops. The Conversation. 01.08.2017. https://theconversation.com/what-camera-traps-tell-us-about-elephants-eating-crops-81149
