Rachael Cooper-Bohannon

Rachael was born in Zambia and grew up in Zambia and South Africa and has lived in the UK for a number of years - studying (BSc in zoology at the University of Bristol) and completed her PhD titled: 'Assessing the distribution of bats in southern Africa to highlight conservation priorities' at the University of Stirling (Scotland) supervised by Dr Kirsty Park and Professor Gareth Jones at the University of Bristol (UK), with fantastic in-country support and southern African (and Portuguese) collaborators. Her fieldwork has taken her to remote and beautiful areas of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. She currently lives in Malawi and she hopes to make a lasting impact on bat conservation in southern Africa, which was the main driver for founding Bats without Borders. 

Get to know Rachael

Meet Soma (on top) and Blaise!

Tell us something we wouldn't know about you from your photograph...
I am a relatively new vegan, dog mad, huge Fairtrade fan and love watching rugby!

When you are out and about what do you enjoy doing?
Going for walks with my very mischievous dogs Blaise and Soma, finding new beautiful places to visit and spending time with family and friends! 

What sparked your interest in bats?
From a young age my Dad instilled a love of nature in my brother and I - most of our family holidays were spent spotting wildlife in various national parks.

Roll on years later...while at the University of Bristol doing my zoology degree I went on a 'bats, bugs and biodiversity' field trip with Professor Gareth Jones. Waiting to experience my first emergence watch, all the students lay down with our bat detectors  at the ready - suddenly a stream of greater horseshoe bats flew over us on their way out to forage - from that moment I was hooked!

What is your favourite quote?
Too many to choose...

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
From the great legend himself - Madiba (Nelson Mandela)

and for a funny quote I love: "laughing is like jogging on the inside"! (unknown)