What does it take to choose a life in the wilderness when the path before you have rarely been walked by someone who looks like you?

This is the story of an interwoven journey shaped by courage, resilience and purpose. Set against the breathtaking landscapes of southern Africa, it follows a young Black woman whose passion for wildlife leads her from university lecture halls to some of Africa’s most remote and unforgiving wildernesses. From nights falling asleep to the roar of lions outside her window to days spent tracking wildlife in the desert, enduring scorpion stings and navigating the solitude that often accompanies field research, the wilderness becomes both a workplace and a teacher.

Yet this is not simply a story about conservation. It is the story of pursuing academic excellence through every challenge, earning degrees while forging a career in a profession historically dominated by men. It explores what it means to lead with authenticity as a Black woman in science, where resilience is often demanded long before it is recognised.