Chloe’s Story

From a privileged upbringing in a small, all girls Catholic school, to a stark understanding and empathy with South Africa’s socio-economic and environmental situation. Chloe Caister tells Isabella Robb how she has come to chose such an inspirational career path by the age of 23. 

Isabella Robb: What made you choose this career path? 

Chloe: Growing up, my family was big on visiting nature reserves, game parks and travelling overseas. I was fortunate to have a privileged upbringing where I was mostly sheltered from the day-to-day struggles of the world. It was at university where I realised how so many people experience hardship and how our natural environment is subsequently affected. Through this I developed a strong sense of empathy and awareness about South Africa’s socio-economic and environmental situation, so I decided to focus on this as my career path.

I’m particularly interested in wild animal behaviour and developing mitigation strategies to improve human-wildlife conflict

Isabella Robb: What have you found most challenging? 

Chloe: Honestly, I would say the thing I have found most challenging is dealing with ‘imposter syndrome’! I don’t think enough people talk about this. It’s a feeling of being undeserving of ones achievements and that at any moment you will be discovered as a fraud. 

Isabella Robb: Have you found women well represented in your field? 

Chloe: In Environmental research, yes. Women are well represented and many of my peers are female but in the conservation work field I still feel that most management positions are male dominated. There is still a strong sense that a man must be out in the field doing practical work and a woman is expected to sit behind the desk and stick to admin work.  

Isabella Robb: Where have you been gaining your practical experience? 

Chloe: I’m based up in Hoedspruit, Limpopo. Where I’ve been working at Provet Wildlife Services as a veterinary assistant alongside the work I’ve been doing for my research. My research is based on elephant behaviour and the elephants I study are on Kapama Private Nature Reserve. 

Isabella Robb: What are your long-term goals? 

Chloe: I want to continue with my research and set up a consultancy business where I can apply my behavioural research to help various organisations and individuals better understand the animals they work with. 

I’m particularly interested in wild animal behaviour and developing mitigation strategies to improve human-wildlife conflict. I hope my work will have a positive impact on captive animal welfare, better conservation of free roaming populations and educating people on how complex wild animals can be.  

Isabella Robb: When you aren’t studying or working what do you love to do? 

Chloe: I’m a big home-bug and really enjoy a relaxed time at home with my family; either reading a good book, going on hikes with my dog, Dora, or baking! Flapjack is a firm favourite and I aim to find the best flapjack stack in the country. 

Isabella Robb: What books have grabbed your attention recently? 

Chloe: I love reading and have recently enjoyed The Man with The Black Dog by Mario Cesare, Shantaram (a true classic) by Gregory David Roberts and The Black Swan (thanks to my brother) by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. 

Isabella Robb: Are you a pyjamas or T-shirt girl when you go to bed? 

Chloe: It has to be an oversized T-shirt. I would love to be the girl that wears the cute matching pyjama sets but I always find myself grabbing a big baggy T-shirt if I want to sleep or lounge around. The T-shirt life chose me.