Mr. Josephat K. Wambua is a habitat ecologist and species management expert with more than 25 years of professional experience in the management of national parks and cross-border ecosystems in Kenya. His work focuses on species–habitat interactions within terrestrial ecosystems, with a particular emphasis on how invasive plant species alter habitat quality, resource availability, and ecological functioning in wildlife-protected areas. He has a strong interest in the foraging ecology and food resource dynamics of large herbivores—including the African elephant (Loxodonta africana Blumenbach, 1797) and the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis L.), which act as ecosystem engineers and influence community structure for numerous smaller mammalian species.

Mr. Wambua is currently pursuing a PhD in Ecology at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi. His doctoral research investigates the ecological impacts of priority invasive plant species in Mwea National Reserve, with specific attention to how these invasions affect food resources, habitat use patterns, and behavioral responses of mammalian herbivores. He also holds a graduate degree in Conservation Biology from the same institution.

With extensive expertise in ecosystem analysis, geospatial modeling, species distribution modeling, and invasive species ecology, Mr. Wambua has conducted comprehensive research on key invasive plants such as Opuntia stricta, Ipomoea hildebrandtii Vatke, Lantana camara L., and Parthenium hysterophorus L. His work explores their ecological dynamics, spread pathways, impacts on native vegetation, and consequences for herbivore foraging behavior, providing critical insights for effective management, control, and ecological restoration.

A leader in integrating advanced technologies into ecological research, Mr. Wambua applies machine learning and artificial intelligence tools, particularly Maximum Entropy Modeling (MaxEnt) to map invasion risk, forecast future spread, and evaluate potential ecological impacts under varying environmental scenarios. His data-driven approaches support evidence-based decision-making for invasive species management and habitat restoration within protected areas.

Mr. Wambua has contributed extensively to national and regional policy dialogues on biological invasions, participating in technical forums aimed at strengthening invasive species management frameworks. His long-standing dedication to conservation continues to advance scientific understanding of invasive species ecology and enhance strategic management efforts to safeguard the integrity of Kenya’s protected ecosystems.