Timothy is currently a master of science degree student at Michigan State University (MSU) studying Zoology and undertook his 2014 summer internship (May to August 2014) with the Mara Hyena Project (MHP) in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Prior to his internship in Africa, he undertook a job shadow training at Potter Park Zoo in USA (May 2014) and graduated in 2005 with a bachelor of science degree in wildlife management from Moi University in Kenya
While at Moi University as an undergraduate student, Timothy took classes in a diversity of disciplines that involved basic sciences (biology, chemistry and physics), quantitative skills, calculus, biostatistics for natural resources, Information Technology (IT) for natural resources, research methodologies, communication skills, park management, entomology, ornithology, mammalogy, herpetology, plant physiology and taxonomy, molecular genetics, flora and fauna identification, economics, contemporary issues in wildlife management, marine and fresh water ecology, human dimensions in wildlife conservation, wildlife law and policy, Global Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, wildlife diseases, wildlife engineering, wildlife biogeography and animal behavior amongst others
As an undergraduate wildlife management student, Timothy underwent a three months training on swimming and water safety techniques at Sirikwa Hotel (Eldoret -Kenya) and a three weeks training at Hell's Gate National Park (Naivasha - Kenya). The training at Hell's gate emphasized on wilderness survival and teamwork. On his final year of study, Timothy undertook an undergraduate senior project at Malava Forest Fragment in Western Kenya looking at the guild structure and organization of frugivorous birds in the forest whose specific objectives involved looking at effects of tree height, tree canopy volume and fruit developmental stage (ripe or unripe) as factors hypothesized to influence the avian guild structure
Timothy also undertook his undergraduate internship at Mt. Elgon National Park (Western Kenya) where he was exposed to the physical aspects of wildlife management that involved human wildlife conflict resolutions, problem animal control, animal census, wildlife research, and flora and fauna identification amongst others
Since completing his undergraduate studies, Timothy has worked with both private and government institutions and has acquired a great deal of skills in research (fresh water, marine and terrestrial) and management i.e data collection, data analysis, project implementation, proposal writing, Global Information System (GIS), financial management, tsetse fly control techniques , Management Information Systems (MIST), leadership, ecological monitoring, flora and fauna identification, endangered species monitoring, conducting animal census, and many more
As a masters student in Zoology at Michigan state University, Timothy is undertaking a masters thesis research on 'diurnal movement and space use patterns by adult female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) at the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya where he is investigating the differences in distance traveled and space use (habitat types) amongst three spotted hyena clans with one of the clans located in a very disturbed area (presence of human activities eg livestock grazing) while the other two clans are located in a pristine environment with only tourism allowed in the area (no other human activities). Timothy will also be comparing the diurnal energy expenditure between the hyenas in these three clans as he will be investigating the effects of prey abundance (presence vs absence of wildebeest migration), season (dry or wet), hyena rank (high or low) and management style (disturbed vs undisturbed) as his independent variables and their effects on distance moved (the dependent variable)
While at Moi University as an undergraduate student, Timothy took classes in a diversity of disciplines that involved basic sciences (biology, chemistry and physics), quantitative skills, calculus, biostatistics for natural resources, Information Technology (IT) for natural resources, research methodologies, communication skills, park management, entomology, ornithology, mammalogy, herpetology, plant physiology and taxonomy, molecular genetics, flora and fauna identification, economics, contemporary issues in wildlife management, marine and fresh water ecology, human dimensions in wildlife conservation, wildlife law and policy, Global Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, wildlife diseases, wildlife engineering, wildlife biogeography and animal behavior amongst others
As an undergraduate wildlife management student, Timothy underwent a three months training on swimming and water safety techniques at Sirikwa Hotel (Eldoret -Kenya) and a three weeks training at Hell's Gate National Park (Naivasha - Kenya). The training at Hell's gate emphasized on wilderness survival and teamwork. On his final year of study, Timothy undertook an undergraduate senior project at Malava Forest Fragment in Western Kenya looking at the guild structure and organization of frugivorous birds in the forest whose specific objectives involved looking at effects of tree height, tree canopy volume and fruit developmental stage (ripe or unripe) as factors hypothesized to influence the avian guild structure
Timothy also undertook his undergraduate internship at Mt. Elgon National Park (Western Kenya) where he was exposed to the physical aspects of wildlife management that involved human wildlife conflict resolutions, problem animal control, animal census, wildlife research, and flora and fauna identification amongst others
Since completing his undergraduate studies, Timothy has worked with both private and government institutions and has acquired a great deal of skills in research (fresh water, marine and terrestrial) and management i.e data collection, data analysis, project implementation, proposal writing, Global Information System (GIS), financial management, tsetse fly control techniques , Management Information Systems (MIST), leadership, ecological monitoring, flora and fauna identification, endangered species monitoring, conducting animal census, and many more
As a masters student in Zoology at Michigan state University, Timothy is undertaking a masters thesis research on 'diurnal movement and space use patterns by adult female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) at the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya where he is investigating the differences in distance traveled and space use (habitat types) amongst three spotted hyena clans with one of the clans located in a very disturbed area (presence of human activities eg livestock grazing) while the other two clans are located in a pristine environment with only tourism allowed in the area (no other human activities). Timothy will also be comparing the diurnal energy expenditure between the hyenas in these three clans as he will be investigating the effects of prey abundance (presence vs absence of wildebeest migration), season (dry or wet), hyena rank (high or low) and management style (disturbed vs undisturbed) as his independent variables and their effects on distance moved (the dependent variable)