When I set foot on Zambian soil for my internship with Game Rangers International (GRI), I knew I was stepping into more than just a professional opportunity—it was a profound calling to contribute to elephant conservation in a meaningful way. As someone deeply passionate about wildlife conservation, I was eager to immerse myself in the challenges and triumphs of protecting these majestic creatures and their habitats.

From the outset, I was thrust into a world of hands-on conservation efforts and groundbreaking research. My mission was clear: to ensure a sustainable future for elephants by mitigating human-elephant conflict, promoting ethical practices, and raising awareness about the importance of conservation within local communities. This overarching goal guided my every action and decision throughout the internship.

Every day brought forth a new set of tasks and responsibilities, each designed to push me beyond my comfort zone and expand my skill set. Whether it was collecting data in the field, recording behavioural patterns, or analyzing complex datasets, I embraced each challenge with enthusiasm and determination. One particularly rewarding aspect of my internship was my involvement in a comprehensive study on elephant trauma. Through this project, I honed my ability to identify individual elephants and gained invaluable insights into their communication signals and behavioural cues. These learnings not only enhanced my understanding of elephant behaviour but also enabled me to contribute more effectively to the study's objectives.

However, the journey was not without its obstacles. As a first-year student dealing with vast volumes of video recordings, I grappled with the complexities of data management and analysis, sometimes to the point of frustration and self-doubt. Yet, it was these challenges that ultimately propelled me forward, pushing me to refine my skills and seek innovative solutions to complex problems.