Backgound I have had a lifelong passion for wildlife and conservation and have worked extensively in this field form the past 10 years. During this time I have gained extensive experience working on high profile, international wildlife projects. As an undergraduate I led an Oxford University expedition to the Amazon rain forest to carry out a bird and mammal survey in a newly established reserve. After graduating, I worked in Mauritius with three of the most endangered bird species in the world, the echo parakeet, pink pigeon and the Mauritian kestrel. At the time the echo parakeet was the rarest parrot in the world and I was responsible for the success of the 6 remaining wild parrot nests. After Mauritius I completed my PhD which focussed on working in Namibia on a unique population of black rhinos. The population I worked on, inhabits Damaraland in North-west Namibia. They are the only truly free-living population of black rhinos left in Africa as all other populations exist in fenced reserves. I carried out the first ever genetic study on this population and if I can find the funds, I hope to take this further by carrying out a complete paternity analysis of this population which will be invaluable in the long term management of this population. I am currently lecturing in wildlife conservation where I encourage students to get involved in conservation both in the UK and overseas. I think it is essential that young people have the opportunity to gain invaluable experience and become inspired by the natural world around them. Personal goals I am fortunate to have a number of good friends and contacts working on exciting conservation projects around the world. I am often asked to assist and provide advice on these projects. If I could gain the funding, it is my goal to work on these projects and achieve the following targets. 1. Provide assistance in setting up new reserves by fund raising to buy up land 2. By writing funding applications to secure the long term success of these projects 3. To facilitate the participation of volunteers on these projects. I am currently involved in 2 projects that I believe are not only very exciting and inspiring, but are also of immense value from a conservation point of view and focus on conserving some of the world’s most endangered and charismatic large mammals. 1. Namibian black rhinos. I have been approached by the Namibian government and Save the rhino Trust International, to carry out a paternity of the last 140 free living rhinos left in Africa, that inhabit the Skeleton coast in Damaraland, Namibia. This project represents a conservation success story as due to the efforts of Save the Rhino Trust, black rhinos have recovered from 20 to 140 in the last 20 years in this area. The local community is now fully involved in this project and are totally committed to securing the long term future of black rhinos on their land. The rhinos are a flagship species and their protection also conserves other endangered species such as the unique desert elephant and the cheetah. However, the population is reaching the stage whereby it has to be managed in order to remove animals to start new populations in other areas. In order to do this, it is essential that the population family tree is known, so that only genetically over-represented animals are removed from the population. The Namibians have contacted me to carry out this work. A unique opportunity has arisen because in July a census is going to be carried out that will find and identify every single rhino in Damaraland. At the same time it will be possible to get a genetic sample from each and every rhino. I have been invited to participate on this census and this is an opportunity that arises only once every 10 years. However, I need the funds in order to take the time off form my job and to fund the field work. 2. Bornean elephants and Sumatran rhinos. Both these species are critically endangered throughout their range in Indonesia and Malaysia. The Sumatran rhino is now down to less that 400 individuals in the wild and is doomed to extinction if drastic work isn’t done. This work involves identifying the last strongholds for this species and monitoring the numbers of individuals within the reserve. This is a project that I have been in contact with and would very much like to assist in the field work and fund raising for this incredible species. The Bornean or pygmy elephant has only just been recognised as a separate subspecies. It is however, now critically endangered in its range and is predicted to be extinct within 20 years. It is the smallest of all the elephants and is confined to small areas of rainforest. It is essential that more reserves are created for this species and that an accurate monitoring project is in place for this critically endangered species

Here I am taking genetic samples from the skulls of poached rhinos killed in Namibia. The aim was to looka t the genetic erosion caused by the poaching episode.		Rhino running- This is a nice shot of a desert rhino in full motion.
Rhino horn- I am holding the horn of a poached black rhino. We found the rhino and alerted the authorities. The villagers handed in the poacher to the police.		Rhino standing- this is black rhino in Damaraland just before he charged us.
Cow and calf- a nice shot of an old female with a spectacular horn.		A picture of me close to a large bull desert elephant.
Nakuru and Zambezi- this is when I was working at Port Lympne wildife park in kent. Here I worked with the largest breeding group of black rhinos in the world. A number of the rhinos have been sent back to Africa to be released back into the wild.		This is in Namibia, with a white backed vulture. There are only 21 of these birds left in Namibia. I have also been asked to work on this project.
This is a picture of me holding an echo parakeet chick. One of only 6 left on the planet at the time. I was monitoring its health in the nest.		This is the headlining Nature paper I got as part of my PhD.