The 79th Marion Island Overwintering Team has arrived on the island 6 weeks ago. After a very busy take-over, where each team member was introduced to their new roles on the island, they are now settled in and ready for their sub-Antarctic overwintering expedition. Marion79 consist of 21 team members – check them out below.
Message from the Team Leader, Jufter Munyai:
“The Marion79 team is ready to look after the South African station on Marion Island, some will be conducting scientific fieldwork, whereas others have obligations in and around the station”.
Want to know more about the Marion Island 2022 take-over? Click here
We wish the team a successful expedition. See you back in Cape Town, in May 2023.
79th Marion Island Overwintering Team
-
- Jufter Munyai (Base Engineer & Team Leader, DFFE)
-
- Andile Mdluli (Ornithology Field Assistant, OC)
-
- Austin Gumba (Astrophysics Field Assistant, UKZN)
-
- Banele Dosi (Mammalogy Field Assistant, UP)
-
- Elsa van Ginkel (Field Assistant, Mouse Free Marion)
-
- Gcobani Tshangana (Assistant Environment Control Officer, DFFE)
-
- Gladys Chelimo Kemei (Communications Engineer & Deputy Team Leader, DFFE)
-
- Lucy Smyth (Ornithology Field Assistant, NMU)
-
- Mishumo Masithembi (Environment Control Officer, DFFE)
-
- Michael Ross (Mammalogy Field Assistant, UP)
-
- Mndeni Hlatshwayo (Medical Orderly, DFFE)
-
- Monica Leitner (Mammalogy Field Assistant, UP)
-
- Samuel Peta (Ornithology Field Assistant, OC)
-
- Sanele Mkhize (Diesel Mechanic, DFFE)
-
- Sanele Nombekela (Chef, DFFE)
-
- Siphesihle Faltein (Assistant Meteorology Technician, SAWS)
-
- Tshivathe Tanganedzani (Assistant Meteorology Technician, SAWS)
-
- Thendo Sikhwari (Senior Meteorology Technician, SAWS)
-
- Tankiso Moso (Engineer, SANSA)
-
- Abuyiselwe Nguna (Geomorphology Field Assistant, UFH) – Medevac July 2022
-
- Vhuawelo Simba (Field Assistant, Mouse Free Marion) – Medevac July 2022
| Affiliation Acronym | Current NRF-SANAP Funded Project (if applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| DFFE | Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment | |
| UFH | University of Fort Hare | Landscape and climate interactions |
| OC | Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Branch: Oceans & Coasts | |
| UKZN | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Observing Dawn in the Cosmos |
| UP | University of Pretoria | Marion Island Marine Mammals in Changing Environments: Individual Heterogeneity and Population Processes |
| MFM | Mouse Free Marion | |
| NMU | Nelson Mandela University | Avian scavengers as indicators of recovery of an island biota |
| SAWS | South African Weather Service | |
| SANSA | South African National Space Agency | Polar Space Weather Studies |
Featured Image: Marion79 onboard the S.A. Agulhas II, about to depart to Marion Island on Sunday, 17 April 2022. Image supplied by Jufter Munyai (Team Leader).
Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 02 June 2022
