Like many in the conservation industry, Lawrence took an atypical path to get where he is today. Growing up in Johannesburg, he always had his eye on getting out of the city and into nature. This meant that if he wasn’t fully committed to his schooling, he was out with family exploring the wilderness. Many of his formative years were spent in Botswana, touring the lesser-known nooks and crannies that this wonderful country has to offer. When it finally came time to study, Lawrence chose to do a BCom Marketing Management degree at the University of Pretoria, and he went on to work in the digital space as a marketing strategist and consultant. A far cry from his passions in life, and the ultimate reason he left to work in the bush. 

Lawrence started his formal training by becoming an NQF level 2 Field and Walking Guide. He has a huge passion for tracking, studying animal behaviour, birding, and botany. After some years of guiding, his focus shifted to hands-on conservation efforts. This led him to being involved in the Kruger National Park game census, working as a first responder for the Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) in the airwing division as a co-pilot, and working on strategies for conservation-focused companies. 

His last few years have been dedicated to working as a camera trap specialist for Panthera’s Arabian Leopard Initiative and as an ornithological consultant for Birds and Bats Unlimited. These two jobs were the final catalysts needed to push him to apply for a Masters degree in Zoology and they have played a pivotal role in getting him ready for the challenges that await him. Lawrence is a MSc student at the University of Cape Town and is working with the Cape Leopard Trust and Panthera to investigate leopard population trends and variables affecting density over time in the Little Karoo.