Water resource scientist and eco-toxicologist
Born on September 21st, 1986, in White River, South Africa
Russell Brian Tate is South African water resource scientist, hydrologist and eco-toxicologist with over 10 years of working experience in Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Republic of Congo, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Swaziland and Zambia. His job took him to do the research also in South Eastern Asia (Myanmar).
The freshwater environment has always held a fascination for Russell, one that has grown from long hours fishing in the diverse South African Lowveld into a passion for discovering the mechanisms that drive the complex interactions in these freshwater environments. Russell is fortunate to have been born in and experienced the Southern African region. The varied systems from semi-arid pans, to flooding Dambo’s have held an intense fascination for him.
His first West African study took him into the familiar Savannah of the Sudanese Ichthyological Province, in Mali, Senegal and northern Ivory Coast. Thereafter Russell was exposed to Central African tropical forest, with the introduction to the region immersing him in the Dungu, Kibali and Congo Rivers.
Two of the five English speaking west African regions of Liberia and Sierra Leone are his favourite countries in the Upper Guinea Ichthyological Province to have visited. But not only the fish captured the researcher’s attention but the ecology held wonder with dragonflies, pygmy hippos and dense carpets of aquatic moss.
Russell currently conducts water resource specialist studies to aid in the management of impacts from developments. Most recently the silent forest elephants of the Cabinda Province and the ecologically significant peat wetlands of the Upper Casai Drainage have exposed him to unexplored, crystal clear-vegetation rich streams. Still visibly impacted by the last war, with landmine infested roadways which provided a challenge well worth facing for the plenitude of lesser known fauna and flora.
Years of experience: 10 Years
Qualifications: MSc Aquatic Ecotoxicology
Expert in the following geographical regions:
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Africa: Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Republic of Congo, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Swaziland and Zambia.
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Southeastern Asia: Myanmar.