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Dedan Kabuu Ngatia
Contact Information
- dngatia@uwyo.edu
- dedan.ngatia@gmail.com
- +254 714 291168
- Kenyan Address: Mpala Research Centre, P.O. Box 555-10400, Nanyuki, Kenya
- USA Address: Berry Center, #4304 University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071
Languages
Summary
Kenyan scientist specialising in ecology and management of infectious disease in wild and domestic carnivores. Working for sustainable coexistence of people and wildlife.
Recent Positions
Postdoctoral Fellow
Smithsonian Institution and Mpala Research Centre | 2025
Principal Investigator
Samburu-Laikipia Wild Dog Project | 2022
Led research and fieldwork on African wild dogs and cheetahs, utilizing GPS and VHF collars, performing visual observations, necropsies, and engaging communities in conservation.
Project Manager
Samburu-Laikipia Wild Dog Project | 2016 - 2022
Managed field operations under Dr. Rosie Woodroffe (Zoological Society of London), overseeing collar deployments, data collection, and ecological monitoring of wild carnivores.
Project Research Assistant
Kenya Small Carnivore Study | 2014 - 2016
Supported research on mesocarnivores and disease dynamics led by Dr. Adam Ferguson (Smithsonian Institute). Responsibilities included trapping, handling, and blood sampling.
Research Assistant
Kenya Bats Research Project | 2014
Participated in the national bat inventory project under Dr. Paul Webala (Maasai Mara University), conducting surveys and collecting biodiversity data across Kenya.
Research Assistant
Ungulate Herbivory under Rainfall Uncertainty | 2014
Worked on a study led by Dr. Jacob Goheen (University of Wyoming) at Mpala Research Centre, focused on herbivory dynamics in response to climatic variability.
Intern
Laikipia Wildlife Forum | 2013
Interned in the Department of Wildlife and Science in Nanyuki under the supervision of Dr. Mordecai Ogada. Supported conservation awareness and educational outreach programs.
Education
PhD in Ecology, University of Wyoming
University Of Wyoming 2020 – 2025
Thesis: "Role of climate change in the general ecology, behavior and disease patterns in the African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus)".
Supervisors: Dr. Jake Goheen and Dr. Rosie Woodroffe.
Affiliate PhD Student, Institute of Zoology
Zoological Society of London | 2020 – Present
Collaborative research work as an affiliate PhD student.
Supervisor: Dr. Rosie Woodroffe.
MSc in Wildlife Management (by Research)
Karatina University | 2016
Thesis: "Conserving carnivores in Kenya: addressing disease dynamics in domestic dogs in rural communities, Laikipia, Kenya".
Note: In Kenya, MSc by research is not graded.
BSc in Natural Resources Management
Karatina University | 2014
First Class Honours. Dissertation: "Effects of fire on herbaceous vegetation and herbivore visitation of burnt patches at a Kenyan savannah, Laikipia, Kenya".
Ranked top of the class, earning the highest grades for both the dissertation and final exams.
Publications
Rising temperatures increase risk of pathogen exposure for African wild dogs
Ngatia, D. K., Woodroffe, R., Ferguson, A. W., Ford, A. T., Lamb, C. T., Lentaam, S., Ngatia S. W., & Goheen, J. R.
(In Preparation)
Integrated Community‐Based Reporting and Field Diagnostics for Improved Rabies Surveillance in Rural Laikipia, Kenya
Odinga, C. O., Thomas, L. F., Wambugu, E., Ferguson, A. W., Fèvre, E. M., Gibson, A., & Worsley‐Tonks, K. E. et al.
Zoonoses and public health, 72(2), 194-199, 2025
Mammals show faster recovery from capture and tagging in human-disturbed landscapes
Stiegler, J., Gallagher, C. A., Hering, R., Müller, T., Tucker, M., Apollonio, M., Ngatia, D. K., & Blaum, N. et al.
Nature communications, 15(1), 8079, 2024
Coat colour is associated with climate and habitat in African wild dogs
Daniels, L., Rabaiotti, D., McIntosh, A., Ramage, A., De Lorm, T., Aebischer, T., Becker, M., Beverley, G., Castells, D., Donald, W., Drouilly, M., Elizalde, S., Funston, P., Groom, R., Hanssen, L., Horion, R., Jumbam, K., Kabwe, R., Maude, G., Mooney, R., Ngatia, D., Parsais, S., Poupard, A., Searle, C., Strampelli, P., van der A, R., Watermeyer, J., Wekesa, M. and Woodroffe, R.
(In Review)
African wild dogs are hot and hungry: Response to Creel et al. (2023)
Woodroffe, R., Abrahms, B., English, H., Jumbam, K., Linden, J., Ngatia, D., Rabaiotti, D. & McNutt, J. W.
Biological Conservation, 284, 110198, 2023
Hunting behavior and social ecology of African wild dogs
Jordan, N. R., Golabek, K. A., Marneweck, C. J., Marneweck, D. G., Mbizah, M. M., Ngatia, D., & Watermeyer, J. et al.
In Social Strategies of Carnivorous Mammalian Predators: Hunting and Surviving as Families, 177-227, Springer International Publishing, 2023
Predicting potential distributions of large carnivores in Kenya: An occupancy study to guide conservation
Broekhuis, F., Ngene, S., Gopalaswamy, A. M., Mwaura, A., Dloniak, S. M., Ngatia, D. K., et al.
Diversity and Distributions, 2022
Biogeography of the Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon (Linnaeus, 1758) in Africa, with first records for Laikipia County, central Kenya
Ngatia, D. K., Webala, P. W., Mware, M. J., Butynski, T. M., de Jong, Y. A., & Ferguson, A. W.
African Journal of Ecology, 2021
Dispersal behaviour of African wild dogs in Kenya
Woodroffe, R., Rabaiotti, D., Ngatia, D. K., Smallwood, T. R., Strebel, S., & O'Neill, H. M.
African Journal of Ecology, 58(1), 46-57, 2020
Volunteer based approach to dog vaccination campaigns to eliminate human rabies: Lessons from Laikipia County, Kenya
Ferguson, A. W., Muloi, D., Ngatia, D. K., Kiongo, W., Kimuyu, D. M., Webala, P. W., & Martins, D. J. et al.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 14(7), e0008260, 2020
Evaluating rabies outbreaks and intervention effectiveness across endangered African wild dog populations with recommendations for future mitigation
S. Gold, K. Banda, M. Becker, G. Beverley, P. Blisnston, C. A. Donnelly, B. Goodheart, R. Groom, D. Ngatia, L. V. Schalkwyk, & R. Woodroffe
(In Review)
Advisory Positions and Teaching Experience
Expert Advisory Committee, National Strategy for the Conservation and Management for Cheetahs and African Wild Dogs in Kenya
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), and the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) | 2025 – present
Teaching assistant, University of Exeter Field Course
University of Exeter | Jan 2025
Kenya Wildlife Service Large Carnivore Technical Committee
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) | 2023 – present
Kenya Wildlife Service National Taskforce for Small Carnivore Conservation
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) | 2023 – present
Member, IUCN Species Survival Commission
National Species Specialist Group, Kenya | 2022 – present
Member, IUCN Species Survival Commission
Canid Specialist Group (CSG) | 2022 – present
Graduate assistant, Behavioral ecology course
University of Wyoming (Prof. Dr. David McDonald) | 2021 – Spring
Graduate assistant, Mammalogy Course
University of Wyoming (Prof: Dr. Jacob Goheen) | 2021 – Fall
Grants Reviewer, Young Explorers Grant
National Geographic Society | 2019 – present
Kenya National Rabies Elimination Coordination Committee
Department of veterinary Services | 2017 – present
Member, leadership and mentorship Programme
National Geographic Society | 2017 – 2018
Honors & Awards
Conference Participation Award
Pathways Conference, Kenya | National Geographic Society | 2020
Awarded $800 for participation in the Pathways Conference by National Geographic Society.
Travel Award for Bats Project Exchange Visit
National Geographic Society | 2019
Awarded $620 for exchange visit on a Bats project with Dr. Paul Webala in Musanze, Rwanda.
Rabies Hero Award
Global Animal Welfare | 2019
Received the Rabies Hero Award from Global Animal Welfare for significant contributions to rabies control efforts.
Best Student Presenter
13th African Small Mammals Symposium | Mekelle University, Ethiopia | 2019
Awarded Best Student Presenter for presenting research at the 13th African Small Mammals Symposium.
World Rabies Day Awards (Shortlisted Candidate)
Global Alliance for Rabies Control | 2019
Shortlisted for the World Rabies Day awards for contributions to rabies control efforts.
2nd Best Presenter
African Annual Conference | Rufford Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya | 2018
Awarded 2nd Best Presenter for contributions at the African Annual Conference by Rufford Foundation.
Conference Travel and Participation Award
Pathways Conference | Colorado University | Windhoek, Namibia | 2017
Awarded $2500 for travel and participation in the Pathways Conference.
Support to East African Participation
Pathways Conference | USAID Kenya and East Africa Environment Office | 2016
Awarded $1500 for support in East African participation in the Pathways Conference.
Recent Grants
Donation in support of the Samburu-Laikipia Wild Dog Project and the Laikipia Rabies Vaccination Campaign
Footprint Safaris | 2025-2026
$40,000
Donation in support of the Laikipia Rabies Vaccination Campaign
Veterinarians International | 2025-2026
$3,000
Donation in support of the Laikipia Rabies Vaccination Campaign
Katie Adamson Conservation Fund | 2025-2026
$2,500
Dr. George Menken's Memorial Scholarship
Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming | 2023-2024
$15,000
African wild dog conservation
African Wild dog United | 2023-2024
$2,000
Center for Global Studies (CGS) Student International Research Grant, John P. Ellbogen Foundation Endowment for Global Engagement
University of Wyoming | 2022-2023
$2,000
Conservation of African wild dogs in the Ewaso ecosystem
People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) | 2022-2024
£14,840
Research and exploration grant: Recovering African wild dogs in the Ewaso-ecosystem
National Geographic Society | 2022-2024
$89,828
Lyman and Margie McDonald Research Award for Quantitative Analysis in Wildlife
University of Wyoming | 2022-2023
$4,000
Dick and Lynne Cheney Study-Abroad Grants, Summer 2022
University of Wyoming | 2022-2023
$5,000
Principal Investigator, African Wild Dogs and African people – Conservation through Coexistence
Darwin's Initiative UK | 2021-2025
£393,674
In addition to these grants for my own research I helped raise over $100,000 to support the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 Laikipia Rabies Vaccination Campaigns.
Conference Presentations and Invited Talks
Ngatia, D.K., Upward dog, downward dog. African wild dog conservation in a human-dominated landscape
Machakos Town, Kenya | 2025
Ngatia, D.K., Conservation of African wild dogs in the Ewaso ecosystem. Guest lecture
University of Exeter Field Course | 2025
Ngatia, D.K., Lessons learnt from a quarter-century of wild dog research in Kenya
Katie Adamson Conservation Fund. Denver city, USA | 2024
Ngatia, D.K., 20 years of wild dog research in the Ewaso ecosystem
Nanyuki Town, Kenya | 2024
Ngatia, D.K., Dissertation progress – African wild dog conservation in the Ewaso ecosystem
SLAM lab, Swansea University | 2023
Ngatia, D.K. (on behalf of the SSC Canid Specialist Group), African wild dog conservation, African Carnivore Initiative, IUCN
Entebbe, Uganda | 2023
Ngatia, D.K., Implementation of a vaccination campaign for grassroot level
African Wild Dog United Conference. Online | 2021
Ngatia, D.K., A canine distemper virus outbreak in Laikipia County, Kenya
African Wild Dog United Conference. Online | 2021
Ngatia, D.K., T. Butynski, D. Yvonne, P. W. Webala and A. W. Ferguson. Distribution of the Egyptian Mongoose in Africa, with first records for Laikipia county, central Kenya
13th African Small Mammals Symposium, Mekelle University, Ethiopia | 2019
Ngatia, D. K. Dogs, Rabies and more Dogs. Invited talk
Department of Zoology and Physiology, Univeristy of Wyoming, Wyoming, USA | 2019
Workshops and Symposiums
Expert Committee workshop, National Strategy for the Conservation and Management for Cheetahs and African Wild Dogs
Machakos Town, Kenya | 2025
Workshop to update the Kenya's National Strategy for the Conservation and Management for Cheetahs and African Wild Dogs
Machakos Town, Kenya | 2025
Regional carnivores' projects workshop, Wildlife Research and Training Institute and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)
Nanyuki Town, Kenya | 2025
Data sharing workshop Wildlife Research and Training Institute
Nanyuki Town, Kenya | 2024
African Carnivore Initiate Workshop, IUCN
Entebbe, Uganda | 2023
African wild dog disease management workshop for the Ewaso ecosystem
Nanyuki Town, Kenya | 2022
IUCN SSC, Kenya National Species Specialist Group Workshop
Nairobi, Kenya | 2022
CAS-NGS International Conference/symposium on Biodiversity Sciences, China Academy of Sciences
Beijing, China | 2019
KVA Wildlife branch workshop on Rabies and Canine Distemper, Kenya Veterinarian Association
Nanyuki, Kenya | 2019
National Geographic Leadership and Mentorship Programme
Washington DC, USA | 2017
Committees and Membership
Member, National Geographic grants review committee
2021 to date
Member, British Ecological Society
2020 to date
Member, National Geographic leadership and mentorship programme
2017 to date
Member, National Rabies Elimination Coordination Committee (NRECC)
2016 to date
Student Member, American Society of Mammologists (ASM)
2016 to date
Student Member, Wildlife Diseases Association (WDA)
2016 to date
Student Member, East African and Middle-East Chapter- Wildlife Diseases Association (WA)
2016 to date
Member, Kenya Wildlife Service- Kenya National Taskforce for Small Carnivores Conservation
2016 to date
Chairman, Nature Club Constitution Review Committee
Karatina University | 2014
Member, Nature Club Strategic Plan Drafting Committee
Karatina University | 2014
Member, Karatina University Red Cross Society Constitution Review Committee
Karatina University | 2013
Member, Nature Club of Karatina University
2010-2014
Member, Red Cross Society of Karatina University
2010-2014
Leadership and Community Outreach
Principal Investigator, The Samburu-Laikipia Wild Dog Project
2022 to date
Project leader, The Laikipia Rabies Vaccination Project
2016 to date
Initiated Laikipia Rabies Vaccination Campaign during my MSc research, leading to vaccination of 800 domestic dogs over 7 community ranches.
2015
President, Nature Club of Karatina University
2013-2014
Organizing Secretary, Nature Club of Karatina University
2012-2013
Vice-Secretary, Karatina University Red Cross Society
2012-2014
Organised multiple town clean-up days and tree-planting events
Karatina, Kenya | 2012-2014
Media Coverage
My rabies vaccination work has been covered on national television news, as well as national newspapers. My African wild dog work has been featured in international newspapers, and I have also been asked to comment on related news stories.