Dr. Avenant has experience in sampling and monitoring mammal diversity, and exposure to environmental impact assessments across southern Africa, provided the platform for developing new ideas in applied ecology, such as the use of small mammals as environmental indicators. It also paved the way for studies in predator-prey relationships. This broader interest was fundamental in the development of the comprehensive Canis Caracal Programme, which aims to promote biodiversity conservation and address human-wildlife conflict in the small stock and game farming industries. Also through his involvement with environmental assessments and other conservation initiatives, does he contribute towards the conservation of species and ecosystems. Curation, education, and the administration of the Department of Mammalogy at the National Museum form the remainder of his work responsibilities. His peer-reviewed research outputs include 62 papers in accredited journals, 10 published conference papers, 42 technical reports, and 6 chapters in books. Since 2000 he has successfully supervised 4 PhD and 10 MSc students and presented 66 oral and 33 poster contributions at national and international conferences. Dr. Avenant also evaluated 18 Masters and three PhD theses, and have reviewed more than 80 papers for >20 different scientific journals. He is the NRF rated researcher, and currently a Research Fellow at the Centre for Environmental Management, University of the Free State (2007 - present), a member of the Zoological Society of Southern Africa (1995 - present), and of the Southern African Institute for Ecologists and Environmental Scientists (2007 - 2019). Dr. Avenant serves on the Executive Committee of the International Conference on Rodent Biology and Management (2006 - present), on the Editorial Board for Integrative Zoology (2007 - present), as a Section Editor for African Zoology (small mammals; 2014 - present), and as an Advisor for the Predation Management Forum of South Africa (2010 – 2014; after which He played a role during the South African National Predation Assessment, 2014-2018). Until recently he has been involved with the former Lesotho Mountain Research Group and the Free State Conservation Forum, and served on the erstwhile Free State Biodiversity Planning Steering Committee, Eskom's multi-disciplinary Environmental Committee, and on the Defence Force Regional Environmental Advisory Forum: Free State and Northern Cape. Since 1995 he has also served on nine different National Museum Committees.
