What makes this research special is how these three aspects are braided together to help park managers prepare for the impacts of a changing climate in the region—a brilliant example of using the past to understand the future.
The wildlife surveys aim to estimate current populations of large mammals in the park. These driving transects use a technique known as distance sampling, where researchers record the distance and bearing to the animals observed. This detectability factor allows for a more accurate estimate of species populations within the study area.
The second research aspect is palaeontological. Palaeontology—the study of fossilised plants and animals (excluding humans)—has long been part of Earthwatch's research portfolio, though it appears less frequently in recent years. In contrast, archaeology focuses on human remains and artefacts. We occasionally find artefacts dating back to the Iron Age, more than 1,500 years ago.
Fieldwork involves walking the sandy riverbanks to systematically search for bone fragments and, ideally, fossilised specimens that help us understand what past wildlife communities looked like. The goal is to uncover fossils dating from the late Pliocene (3.6 to 2.6 million years ago) to the late Pleistocene (about 125,000 to 11,700 years ago). So far, fossils discovered have not been quite old enough to meet the project’s initial scientific objectives, so this element will not be a focus for the final teams.
Drawing from previous field studies, the team uses minerals from older teeth and bones to analyse ancient diets through advanced stable isotope analysis. This method helps determine whether wildlife species changed their diets in response to climatic shifts—insights that are crucial for predicting how animals might adapt to modern climate change.
To compare dietary patterns across time, the team also collects newer, non-fossilised bones—often referred to as "prey remains." Using a systematic search method, field teams disembark from vehicles and move in a line through the bush, flanked by a team member and an armed ranger, looking for bones.
Small samples are brought back to base camp, where a makeshift lab in a gazebo allows participants to help process enamel from the bone and tooth fragments. These are then sent to a professional lab in the US for detailed analysis. By comparing carbon and oxygen isotopes in both fossil and modern remains, scientists can assess whether herbivores in the region historically fed more on grasses or on woody vegetation. These findings are vital for understanding how ecological relationships respond to environmental change.
All of this helps park managers better prepare for climatic shifts, including projected rises in temperature, decreases in rainfall, and more extreme weather events. Knowing how species responded to past climatic changes offers invaluable context for managing ecosystems today.
This summer marks the expedition's final season, and the scientists will lead the last two teams in South Luangwa National Park. I would love to see them supported with full teams of ten participants. A few spaces remain for this unique and classic Earthwatch experience in one of Africa’s most exceptional wildlife parks.
