RESEARCH
Since the mid 1970s the focus of my research shifted from studies on the ecology of small mammals
(mice, voles, shrews), to those that concentrate more on mammals of economic importance (rabbits, rats,
house mice, squirrels), and to applied problems involving the health and welfare of wild and captive
animals, such as big cats, Malagasy fossa and Przewalski horses, although I still continue to work with small mammals.
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| Studies on the behaviour and welfare of animals in the wild and captivity. |
Studies on Przewalski horses - released into Reserve |
| This is a big cat at Banham Zoo. Which species is it? |
in Mongolia. Photo courtesy of Sarah King. |
My current work is concentrated on four main themes:
- Red and grey squirrel ecology and management.
- The health and welfare of wild and captive animals.
- The behaviour and ecology of wild small mammals.
- The feasibility of releasing beavers into England.
Recent Research students
- 1990-1995 Wendy Stanford - The effects of kinship and density on population growth in populations of
small mammals
- 1990-1994 Graeme Skelcher - The spread of grey squirrels into red squirrel populated woodland in the
NW of England.
- 1991-1995 Zoe David-Gray - DNA fingerprinting and social organisation in small mammals.
- 1991-1996 Jackie Dagnall - Management of grey squirrels.
- 1994-1998 Mick Loughran - Social behaviour in field voles, Microtus agrestis.
- 1994-1999 Debbie Smith - Feeding behaviour in red and grey squirrels.
- 1994-1998 Louise Magris - The ecology of red squirrels on Jersey.
- 1996-2000 Sarah Cartmel - The ecology of red and grey squirrels in Clocaenog Forest, North Wales.
- 1996-2001 Jean Matthews - Red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris): past, present and future.
- 1996-pres Nicola Charlton - The behaviour and welfare of big cats in captivity.
- 1998-2002 Sarah King - Vigilence behaviour in recently released Przewalski's horses.
- 1998-2003 Ina Draganova - The beghaviour of bachelor groups in pre-and post release Przewalski's horses.
- 1999-2003 Mike O'Connor - The ecology and management of water voles and water shrews in
non-riverine riparian habitat.
- 2000-2005 Lesley Dickie - The behaviour and welfare of captive fossa.
- 2001-2005 Roland Ashford - Field voles as biomarkers of environmental pollution: genetic and ecological studies.
- 2001-2010 Corrie Bruemmer - The epidemiology of parapoxvirus in grey squirrels. Jointly with Dr. S. Rushton, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
- 2005-2010 Emma Hare - The ecology and conservation of island red-backed voles with particular reference to the Skomer vole.
Publications
Publications
