Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
14 August 2018
Media effectively used to save the giraffe
“If we can save the habitat wildlife need, then the animals will be just fine,” said Dr Francois Deacon, a wildlife habitat expert in the UFS Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences.
The University of the Free State (UFS) is leading the fight against the extinction of giraffes and has assembled the largest research team in the world to manage, coordinate, and address this issue. Seven UFS departments are involved in this research. 

Dr Francois Deacon, a wildlife habitat expert in the UFS Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences, is leading the team of researchers who tasked themselves with better understanding the giraffe, and in so doing, save the giraffe. He said: "One way to stop the plummeting numbers is to learn more about how giraffes use their habitat and how much area they need in order to survive."

Dr Deacon focuses on the spatial ecology of wild animals. His main research focus is to understand the ecological and biological factors that regulate giraffe in their natural habitat.

Documentaries save

He collaborated with a documentary film crew to release the second in a trilogy of documentaries regarding giraffes and their natural habitat. The first, Last of the Longnecks, focused on the fact that giraffes are becoming extinct. The second documentary, Catching Giants, which was released last year, includes footage on how a multi-specialist research group of over 30 people from 10 different countries worked together to collect information about these little-known animals.

Documentaries such as these, together with a recent insert in the local wildlife documentary on SABC 2, 50/50, also helped to raise awareness on the giraffe and its plight.

Telling the truth

Dr Deacon said: “It is extremely important for the public to see how involved we really are with a major problem such as a species becoming extinct. Media exposure outlines the truth of what man is doing to nature. Cooperating with media such as the BBC, National Geographic, and 50/50, offers other journalists, producers, editors, and authors the opportunity to also take responsibility for raising awareness on the issue.” 

“Apart from the fact that awareness is shedding light on the problem, it also highlights who the leaders in this field are, what they are doing to address the problem, and what more is needed to make a change. The latter includes the funding of postgraduate students to conduct further research on this matter. If we were able to gather sufficient knowledge through different research questions across the globe, we could really make a difference in saving giraffes from extinction.” 

News Archive

Machinery and equipment to the value of R6 million acquired by UFS Instrumentation Division
2015-07-02

Photo: Supplied

At an information session held on the Bloemfontein Campus, the Instrumentation Division in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) introduced its new Computer Numeral Control (CNC) machines to the value of R6 million.

Initially, the primary aim of the Instrumentation workshop was to design, produce, and maintain special research equipment which is unavailable on the market, mainly for academic departments. The small-scale production focused on producing support material and equipment for research work.

However, with new equipment and machinery the Division now also can deliver a service to corporate companies and external associates.
 
The CNC machines include a 5-axis Vertical Machining Centre from Haas imported from America. This is one of only four in South Africa, with two in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town.  The lathe makes it possible to produce sophisticated parts, which were previously cumbersome and difficult to make. The machines also cover a wide spectrum in the mechanical field such as the the FLOW Water Jet, which cuts a wide variety of material ranging from titanium to wood without utilising heat, thus saving electricity. This makes it possible to cut a wide variety of materials.

With the new machinery now available, the Instrumentation Division is able to perform high quality and quantity production with precision.

“The advantage of the machinery is that it stimulates production, and is much faster and more accurate than the conventional way of doing things,” said Pieter Botes, Head of the Division.

Botes explained that, by having students and professional artisans at the university design and manufacture equipment, costs are reduced when compared with the expensive nature of equipment and tools found in the market. In addition, “the machines broaden the scope of research conducted” said Botes. The technical dynamics of the machinery advances the scientific knowledge needed to operate it, so bridging the gap between theory and practice.

The Central University of Technology, Signs Division Bloemfontein, Product Development Technology Station (PDTS), Maizey’s, and Knottco Truckparts are some of the university’s trade partners.

The workshop collaborates with the Chemistry, Physics, Microbiology, Botany, Agriculture, and Electronics departments, as well as the Institute of Groundwater Studies at the UFS, and others. These departments receive services in the form of pipette stands, containers for test tubes, bottles, laboratory trolleys, stands for cadavers for Anatomy, pump repairs, stainless steel bailers, filaments, and heaters.

The Instrumentation Division is, therefore, a vital support unit for the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences as well as the university at large.

Companies, institutions, or individuals who need the Division’s expertise may contact Pieter Botes on botespds@ufs.ac.za.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept