Cynthia Mapendere a Zimbabwean conservationist doing her MSc in Environmental Ecology with the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is interested in the dynamics and implications of human and wildlife interactions. Her current work focuses on the ecology and epidemiology of Africa Swine Fever Virus and Foot and Mouth Disease in the wild and domestic suids in Ndumo Game Reserve, South Africa adjacent to communal areas. Her research will detail levels of interactions between the domestic and wild suids populations and hotspots of possible of disease transmission. In addition to enabling responsible authorities to put measures to curb disease transmission, her work will also facilitate the crafting of effective intervention measures in case of disease outbreaks.