Curriculum Vitae
Donnavan Kruger, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
African Amphibian Conservation Research Group
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management
JS van der Merwe Building (E6), Office G36, North-West University
Potchefstroom, 2531
South Africa
Phone (C): +27 73 295 3816
Phone (W): +27 18 299 2515
Email: donnavan.kruger@gmail.com / donnavan.kruger@nwu.ac.za
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
2011–2014 Ph.D. Zoology, North-West University
Thesis: Frogs about town: Aspects of the ecology and conservation of frogs
in urban habitats of South Africa
2010 M.Sc. Zoology, North-West University
2009 B.Sc. Honours (Biodiversity), North-West University
2008 B.Sc. (Physiology-Zoology), North-West University
RESEARCH APPOINTMENTS
2014/06–present Postdoctoral Research Fellow, African Amphibian Conservation Research Group, North-West University
2011/02–07 Research assistant for the African Amphibian Conservation Research Group, North-West University
2009–2011 Senior facilitator for Zoology first year modules
2007–2008 Laboratory assistant for the African Amphibian Conservation Research Group, North-West University
TEACHING APPOINTMENTS (part-time)
2014 – 2016 UNISA Biology (1st year level)
2011 – 2012 & 2015 – 2016 General Zoology (1st year level), General Zoology Practical (1st year level), Animal Physiology
(2nd year level), General Biology Practical (1st year level)
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
(course presenter, project judge, volunteer, subject specialist, and identification services)
2015 Subject specialist (Amphibians) Africa Nature Training - Nature Enthusiast Course presenter
2012 Eskom District Science Expo Judge; Potchefstroom
2011 – 2012 Identification of Kruger National Park Frogs; Contact person: Dr. Wynand Vlok
2010 Eskom Regional Science Expo Judge; Potchefstroom
2010 Impala Platinum Biodiversity Survey for Frogs and Reptiles; Impala Bafokeng Mining Complex,
Rustenburg; Contact person: Prof. Leon van Rensburg
2010 – 2012 Numerous talks on frog diversity and conservation awareness in urban habitats;
For: Potchefstroom Brownies, Potchefstroom Gardening Club, Various schools
2006 & 2009 Volunteer work: Group leader for Mkhuze Game Reserve large mammal census (two-week periods).
CONSULTATION PROJCECTS
2015 A Frog Diversity Report Prepared for Sasol Chemcity, Sasolburg.
Contact person: Mr. Tshepiso Seobi (Centre for Environmental Management, North-West University)
2014 A Frog Diversity Report Prepared for AECOM SA (Pty) Ltd, Westville, Durban.
2010 Impala Platinum Biodiversity Survey for Small Mammals; Impala Bafokeng Mining Complex,
Rustenburg
2010 Impala Platinum Biodiversity Survey for Frogs and Reptiles; Impala Bafokeng Mining Complex,
Rustenburg
PEER REVIEWED PAPERS
*Student paper
*Brown L, Kruger DJD, Parris KM, Burger, R, Du Preez LH. (In preparation) Exploring environmental drivers of frog calling behaviour using automated acoustic monitoring. Target journal: Animal Behaviour.
Kruger DJD, Du Preez LH. 2016. The effect of airplane noise on frogs: A case study on the Critically Endangered Pickersgill’s reed frog (Hyperolius pickersgilli). Ecological Research (In press)
Tarrant J, Kruger DJD, Du Preez LH. 2016. Do public attitudes affect conservation effort? Using a questionnaire-based survey to assess perceptions, beliefs and superstitions associated with frogs in South Africa. African Zoology 2016: 1-8.
Kruger DJD, Hamer AJ, Du Preez, LH. 2015. Urbanization affects frog communities at multiple scales in a rapidly developing African city. Urban Ecosytems. In press. doi 10.1007/s11252-015-0443-y
*Netherlands EC, Cook CA, Kruger DJ, Du Preez LH, Smit NJ. 2015. Biodiversity of frog haemoparasites from sub-tropical northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife. (Invited paper)
Kruger DJD, Weldon C, Minter L, Du Preez, LH. 2013. Morphology of the elygium and developing umbraculum in the eye of Amietia vertebralis tadpoles. Journal of Morphology 274: 551–556.
Kruger DJD, Weldon C, Du Preez LH. 2011. Resolving the confusion: Amietia vertebralis and
A. umbraculata tadpole morphology. African Zoology 46(2): 309–319.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PAPER IN POPULAR SCIENCE JOURNALS
Weldon C, Antwis R, Kruger DJD, Tarrant J & du Preez LH. 2015. Local and International Research Activities of the African Amphibian Conservation Research Group. FrogLog Issue number 115, Vol. 23(3): 19–21.
Kruger, DJD. 2012. Frogs about town: Ecology and conservation of frogs in the urban habitats of South Africa. Aardvark Oct/Nov Ed. 8 p.
Kruger DJD, Du Preez LH. 2012. Frogs about town: Ecology and conservation of frogs in urban habitats of South Africa. FrogLog, Issue number 103, Vol. 20 (4): 24–25.
Kruger, DJD. 2009. Aspects of the biology and morphological adaptations of tadpoles to high altitude montane habitats in the Drakensberg Mountains. Aardvark, April. 11 p.
Published conference proceedings
Kruger DJD, Du Preez LH. 2012. Paddas verander hulle lied van die lewe. Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie 31(1), Art. #319, 1 page. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/satnt.v31i1.319
CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONSALCONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA
2015/09/07–11
XXV International Bioacoustics Council meeting (IBAC2015); Murnau, Germany. Poster presentation
2014/11/03–07
Symposium of Contemporary Conservation Practice; Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Oral presentation
2014/07/16–18
Ecology and acoustics: Emergent properties from community to landscape; Paris, France. Oral presentation
2013/11/23–29
EcoTas13: 5th joint conference for the Ecological Societies of Australia and New Zealand; Auckland, New Zealand. Oral presentation
2012/08/08–14
7th World Congress of Herpetology; Vancouver, Canada – Presentation
2012/05/28–31
15th Meeting of African Amphibian Working Group; Trento, Italy – Poster presentation
2012/03/01
Monitoring and Research Priorities of Herbicide Tolerant Crops; Potchefstroom, South Africa – Attended
2011/11/02
Workshop on Preparation for Pickersgill’s Reed frog ex situ conservation and research programme Johannesburg Zoo, South Africa – Attended
2011/09/05
Academy for Sciences and Art, Division for Biological Sciences; University of Johannesburg – Presentation
2011/08/04
Workshop on the Critically Endangered Pickersgill’s Reed Frog (Hyperolius pickersgilli); Paradise Valley, Durban – Presentation
2011/01/11-14
10th Conference of the Herpetological Association of Africa; Cape Town, South Africa – Presentation
2007/07/08–11
Zoological Society of Southern Africa 33rd biannual meeting; North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa - Attended, Organising committee
2006/11/24–27
Herpetological Association of Africa; North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa - Attended, Organising committee
HONORS, AWARDS, GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
2015 – 2017 NRF | RISA | SANBI Foundational Biodiversity Information Programme (FBIP) (R 280 000)
Project title: Assessing the impact of anthropogenic activities on the long term survival of amphibians in
KwaZulu-Natal
2015 – 2018 Stiftung Artenschutz: Amphibian Conservation Fund (EUR 4 000)
Project title: Long-term monitoring of the Critically Endangered Pickersgill's Reed Frog
(Hyperolius pickersgilli) populations using passive acoustic monitoring techniques
2015 Golden Key International Honour Society for Academic excellence
2014 Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management Travel Grant
(R 20 000)
2013 – 2014 Innovation Doctoral Scholarship, National Research Foundation
(R 200 000)
2011 National Research Foundation Scarce Skills Grant (R 11 000)
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS
2015 – present International Society of Ecoacoustics
2008 – present Zoological Society of Southern Africa
2006 – present Herpetological Association of Africa
STUDENT SUPERVISION
2015 – present Wentzel Pretorius and Fortunate Phaka (Honours students); Mapule Sarah Biko’o (M.Sc. student)
2014 Lize Brown, M.Sc. student, North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) (Supervisor)
2013 Lize Brown; B.Sc. Honours student; North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) (Co-supervisor)
2011–2013 Joanita Viviers; M.Sc. student; North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) (Assistant supervisor)
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES (Certified and non-certified)
2014 Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Business. One-day course. Endangered Wildlife Trust (Not certified)
2013 Risk Assessment Short Course, North-West University (Not certified)
2012 Mining and the Environment; North-West University (Certified)
2010 & 2012 Scientific Writing Workshop; Kerlick Editorial and Research Solutions CC
(Not Certified)
2011 SPSS statistics; North-West University (Not Certified)
2010 Introduction to GIS; North-West University (Not Certified)
2010 Gallup StrengthsFinder; African Mosaic (Certified)
