Research Truck Woes

As you may suspect, field research in the African bush is rugged and quite demanding on a vehicle. Tires, shocks, and suspension systems are always being pushed to their limits when driving on trails that sometimes appear barely there. The field team relies on the classic (mid 1980s – 1990s) Land Rover Defender due to being fully mechanical, durable, and relatively easy to fix in remote areas. Modern computerized vehicles are very challenging to maintain in Zimbabwe’s rugged landscape. As these vehicles have aged, it is getting more difficult not only to find necessary parts, but also mechanics with the skill set to fix them.

What PDR could really use is a mechanic who is knowledgeable about classic Land Rovers and would be willing to share their expertise through video calls and conversations. Ideally, someone with the requisite skills could even take the most impactful vacation ever by traveling to Zimbabwe to stay on-site at the PDR Conservation Ecology Centre to share expertise and teach our team how to better repair and service these precious vehicles.  If you know a mechanic who would be interested in using their skills to make an enormous impact for conservation, please contact us at conservation@painteddogresearch.org.