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The Small Mammal Specialist Group at the SSC Leaders’ Meeting

SSC Leaders' Meeting 2024 Photo credit @Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD)
SSC Leaders' Meeting 2024 Photo credit @Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD)

SSC Leaders’ Meeting 2024
Photo credit @Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD)

Co-chairs Dr Ros Kennerley (based at Durrell) and Dr Tom Lacher (Texas A&M University) attended the 5th IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Leaders’ Meeting in Abu Dhabi. This event brought together more than 300 conservation leaders to address the urgently needed interconnected solutions to protect biodiversity, stabilise climate, and support human well-being.

Together, we drafted an SSC declaration “Saving Species Sustains Life“.

 

We are thrilled that the SMSG was amongst a few specialist groups that won an ‘Excellence Award’ for our work from 2021-2023.

Dr Jon Paul Rodríguez (Chair of the SSC) presenting the Excellence Award to the SMSG co-chairs

Dr Jon Paul Rodríguez (Chair of the SSC) presenting the Excellence Award to the SMSG co-chairs

SMSG presentation

Dr Tom Lacher presenting at the SSC Leaders' Meeting Photo credit @Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD)

Dr Tom Lacher presenting at the SSC Leaders’ Meeting
Photo credit @Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD)

Tom gave a talk about the SMSG’s achievements within the Assess part of the SSC Assess-Plan-Act cycle. The presentation highlighted work such as our Sulawesi workshop held last year, the Green Status of Species assessments we have produced, and the large European Pulse Project that we contributed to. The pulse project reassessed all mammals in the European region.

New CSS for small mammals

It was great to meet Dr André Stadler, who is the SMSG’s Ex-situ Focal Point and the director of AlpenZoo, Austria, who recently set up a Centre for Species Survival (CSS) to support small mammal conservation. The recruitment process is underway, and we hope to have a Project Officer in post in very early 2025.

Dr André Stadler and Dr Kira Mileham at the SSC Leaders' Meeting

Dr André Stadler and Dr Kira Mileham at the SSC Leaders’ Meeting

Dr Ros Kennerley with the SMSG poster at the SSC Leaders' Meeting

Dr Ros Kennerley with the SMSG poster at the SSC Leaders’ Meeting

We also had an opportunity to show off some of our projects and successes of our members across the world by having a poster displayed at the event.

The four-day meeting was intense, with lots of plenaries, workshops and networking opportunities.

Amongst the many delegates was Dr Barney Long, Senior Director of Conservation Strategies at re:wild. We have just heard that Re:wild will continue to provide support to the SMSG for 2025, making it the 9th year that they have championed the SMSG!

The meeting came to a wonderful finale thanks to The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund who hosted a fantastic dinner for us all.

Alpenzoo Innsbruck and IUCN SSC launches new Centre for Species Survival to aid endangered small mammals

CSS Alpenzoo logo

Alpenzoo (Austria) is the 19th conservation organisation to establish a Centre for Species Survival in collaboration with the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), the world’s largest volunteer conservation-science network.  

Five of the nineteen Centres recognised globally by the SSC are based in Europe. Alpenzoo is proud to announce the establishment of a new Centre for Species Survival, which will significantly enhance their commitment to the conservation of small mammal taxa.

Centres for Species Survival are partnerships between conservation organisations and the SSC – a Commission made up of more than 10,000 species conservation experts worldwide. Centres are hosted by leading zoological, botanical and aquarium conservation organizations that are actively focused on key species or specific geographical regions.

Within this collaboration, Alpenzoo will be teaming up with the IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group (SMSG) to assess risk of extinction within this animal group and help speed up the planning and implementation of conservation action. The first step will be the establishment of a Programme Officer based at Alpenzoo, working remotely within the Specialist Group.

Co-Chair Ros Kennerley

Co-Chair Ros Kennerley

“The IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group is delighted to be part of this exciting new partnership, which aims to bolster conservation efforts for the world’s 3,200+ small mammals. We look forward to growing our team with Alpenzoo and working with them to assess species for both the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and Green Status and support conservation planning for species and multi-species planning in key regions.
Having a dedicated member of staff based at Alpenzoo will make a huge difference to what the SMSG can achieve for small mammals, which are generally under-researched and over-looked in terms of conservation funding and activities. It is brilliant to have Alpenzoo on board and we hope to see other institutions within the zoo community also step up to assist small mammal conservation.”
Dr Ros Kennerley, Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group, based at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

The SMSG represents a global network of scientists and conservationists who share a passion for the world’s often overlooked and under-studied rodents, shrews, moles, solenodons, hedgehogs and treeshrews. The Group serves as the Red List Authority for these taxa, but also works to promote conservation actions on the ground and develop strategies to enable more effective projects for small mammals. Alpenzoo has long been interested in small mammal work, having developed a breeding programme for the Bavarian pine vole (Microtus bavaricus). The vole is now being transferred to other zoos, with a few specimens also being released into the wild for the first time this year.

Dr André Stadler presenting to EAZA 2023 about the SMSG

André presenting to EAZA 2023 on the SMSG

“Our new Centre for Species Survival in collaboration with the SSC marks a significant milestone, as it is an honor to become the 19th zoo worldwide to initiate such a vital program. CSS Alpenzoo will play a crucial role in providing scientific insights, assessing extinction risk, and expediting the planning and implementation of conservation action. Our mission is to ensure the survival of highly threatened species across the globe, and we are already witnessing promising outcomes. For instance, our conservation project for the Bavarian pine vole has achieved groundbreaking success taking place right here at the Alpenzoo.
We are committed to continuing our efforts to protect and preserve biodiversity. This new Centre will enable us to contribute even more effectively to global conservation initiatives, ensuring a brighter future for many threatened species.”
Dr André Stadler, Alpenzoo Director.

Alpenzoo is unique in that it exclusively houses Alpine species native to the region. Visitors are treated to stunning views of Innsbruck and the surrounding mountains while exploring a habitat that includes over 2,000 individuals across 150 animal species typical of the Alps. As the only zoo globally dedicated to Alpine wildlife, it has achieved considerable success. The zoo is actively involved in reintroduction initiatives for various species, including wild cats (Felis silvestris), bearded vultures (Gypaetus barbatus), black vultures (Aegypius monachus), European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis), and Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita).. Notably, it has conducted annual ibex (Capra ibex) releases for over 20 years and is planning on releasing a variety of different animals in the future. Through the new Centre for Species Survival, Alpenzoo will further increase their focus on small mammal taxa across a range of outputs, from coordinating global-level Red List and Green Status assessments, to promoting small mammal work within the zoo itself.

“We are excited to have Alpen Zoo join the global network of Center for Species Survival partnerships which now spans 13 countries and 6 continents. Together these leading conservation institutions have hired almost 50 highly-qualified staff working in support of priority species conservation science and action. Through joint efforts like these we can secure a thriving future for the species we share this planet with.”
Dr Kira Mileham, IUCN SSC Strategic Partnership Director.
Official launch of the Alpenzoo CSS

Official launch of the Alpenzoo CSS. Photo credit: Thomas Steinlechner

SMSG Red List internship 2024

Neomys fodiens Zverek-Voda-Berezhok

The SMSG would like to say a huge Thank You to Erin McDonald for her work on a number of Red List reassessments for small mammals. Erin joined the team in the UK for a 6 month part-time internship through Durrell.

Erin McDonald

Erin McDonald

“During my six-month internship with the IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group, I have been focusing on drafting global Red List assessments and range maps of small mammals, this included updating previously assessed species and drafting assessments for newly described species. Throughout the internship, I have gained new skills, such as GIS, and developed my knowledge of small mammal ecology and habitats. The desire to learn more about the Red List framework began following a lecture from Dr David Mallon in which I was informed about the global and regional assessor exam, after I completed this, I wanted to put the knowledge I had learnt into practice and offered my help to the SMSG. Abi and Ros guided me through the process of drafting assessments and range maps in line with IUCN guidelines. Throughout this time, I have drafted assessments for many small mammal species, from hedgehogs to shrews, which will be sent off to species experts before finalisation and uploaded to the IUCN Red List site. It will be both exciting and rewarding to see the species assessments I contributed towards published online.

I am currently studying for an MSc in Conservation Biology at Manchester Metropolitan University and this opportunity has allowed to me gain valuable skills and knowledge that I can transfer into my future conservation career as well as providing me the opportunity to build connections with experts in the industry. I am grateful to Ros and Abi for their guidance throughout my internship and for giving me such a great opportunity.”

Here are just a few of the species that Erin has worked on:

Fund launch for SMALL MAMMALS!!!

Malagasy Giant Jumping Rat (copyright Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust)

We are thrilled to announce a new fund that is available specifically for small mammals – namely rodents, hedgehogs, shrews, moles and solenodons!  The Fonseca Species Conservation Fund is now accepting proposals for amphibians, freshwater fish, primates, small mammals, and tortoises and freshwater turtles of the African continent and the Indian Ocean.

Malagasy Giant Jumping Rat

Re:wild and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has announced the launch of the Fonseca Species Conservation Fund for early career conservationists from GEF-recipient countries working to conserve amphibians, freshwater fish, primates, small mammals, and tortoises and freshwater turtles in GEF-recipient countries.

The first request for proposals is now live for species of the African continent and the Indian Ocean. Submission deadline: 19 July 2024. Requests for proposals will open for the Asia-Pacific later in 2024, and the Americas in early 2025.

About the fund 

The Fonseca Species Conservation Fund (FSCF) was established in 2024 by the GEF and Re:wild to honor the passion of the late Gustavo Fonseca, long-standing GEF Director of Programs, for species conservation and building capacity of the next generation of conservationists.

The FSCF is a component of the Fonseca Leadership Program providing grants to field projects that promote species conservation and that are led by early career conservationists from GEF-recipient countries. The Fund permits grants of up to $25,000 for conservation efforts in GEF-recipient countries that are directed at species groups in urgent need of intervention and conservation action.

The FSCF draws on the expertise of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Specialist Group and taxon-specific conservation groups to ensure all funding goes to priority projects, mobilises the expertise of existing review boards, and is part of a wider network of support – both funding and technical – for grantees.

The small mammal Africa priorities will be species-focused projects that feature small mammals high up on ZSL’s EDGE list:

Table of EDGE Africa small mammals

We are also interested in proposals for work that cover multiple species in our small mammal Key Regions:

• Tanzania
• Albertine Rift
• Cameroonian Highlands
• Ethiopia

For full details of the fund, including how to apply, go to the website.

General questions about the fund should be directed to the focal point on the Request for Proposals. However, for small mammal specific questions please email us on IUCN.SSC.SMSG@gmail.com.

Left: Ethiopian Water Mouse. Right: African savannah landscape in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya.

Image credits: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (Malagasy Giant Jumping Rat), Field Museum of Natural History (Ethiopian Water Rat), Umarella Voyage Safaris (Tsavo East National Park).

 

Green Status internship

We are thrilled to have a small mammal theme for a new placement through Durrell. Salomé has joined us, having previously completed the DESMAN course in Jersey. Salomé is currently based in Colombia. For her internship she is getting to grips with the Green Status of Species and will be developing several small mammal assessments. Having recently updated the Red List accounts for European species, we will be working on a number of these where Green Status assessments would be beneficial.

“I’ll be doing a three-month internship with Durrell, where I’ll be supporting the Specialist Group in conducting Green Status assessments for small European mammals. This incredible opportunity came about through networking efforts following my completion of the Durrell DEMSAN course last April, during which I gained insights into the purpose and significance of Green Status assessments.

SalomeJoining this team is immensely exciting for me as it presents a chance to delve into the process of conducting assessments firsthand. It’s the perfect opportunity to apply the new framework I’ve learned about, which aims to quantify measures of species recovery and conservation success. As an early career conservation biologist, I’m particularly drawn to the Green Status’s focus on understanding how past conservation efforts have impacted species recovery and how current and future actions can contribute to their conservation with a comprehensive and ecologically functional approach. This opportunity will also give me the chance to interact with species specialists and learn about their conservation work on new species for me, which is really exciting!

This aligns perfectly with my overarching goal of comprehending the influence of conservation practices on species recovery. I’m eager to contribute to this innovative approach that transcends survival and extinction avoidance, so I am very excited with the prospect of participating in the development of assessments within this framework.”

The development of the IUCN Green Status of Species Global Standard was led by the IUCN Species Conservation Task Force, in partnership with the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, IUCN Species Survival Commission, Re:wild, Wildlife Conservation Society, University of Oxford, Stony Brook University, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Zoological Society of London.

Crazies for Grazies: SMSG welcomes our first small mammal PhD student

Jamaican Hutia. Photo credit: Ricardo Miller

The Jamaican Hutia (Geocapromys brownii) goes by a few local names, such as the Coney or Grazie. The species is endemic to Jamaica and was moved from Vulnerable to Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is a rabbit-sized nocturnal rodent with dark brown through to reddish brown fur and is the only remaining extant non-flying mammal on the island.

As it the case for many species, there are likely to be multiple threats, some of which are poorly understood. It is thought that ongoing human-induced habitat loss and degradation across the island, as well as hunting, continue to be major threats to this species. Predation by introduced dogs, cats, and mongoose may also pose a risk.

PhD student 

Jennifer Panitz started on the London DTP , selecting the project this year.

PhD stduent Jennifer Panitz

Jennifer Panitz

“I am a PhD student at the ZSL Institute of Zoology, University College London, and the Natural History Museum London. My project revolves around the Jamaican Coney (Geocapromys brownii) and the sustainability of human-coney co-existence in Jamaica. Previously I completed an MSc in biodiversity, evolution, and conservation at Middlesex University with a project focusing on microplastics in aquatic snails. I also have a PGCert in Applied Meteorology from the University of Reading. Prior to that I worked as an epidemiologist in the COVID-19 response at Public Health England. I have conducted various research projects in Germany, the United States, and Canada.

I am a proponent of interdisciplinary and collaborative methods and am excited to draw on ecological, anthropological, and genomic approaches for my PhD research. I hope to generate data that will help inform Jamaican Coney conservation and preserve small mammal diversity.” 

 

The project

Along with the other institutions, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is a CASE partner on the PhD project.

The PhD research will use multiple approaches to answer key questions about the ecology and conservation needs for the species, including:

(1) targeted studies of coney ecology, including how hutias utilise both forest and agricultural land in human-occupied landscapes

(2) ancient DNA work to understand the changing genetic status of coney populations through time, to assess the impact of local human pressures such as hunting over the past century

(3) community-based research to understand people’s knowledge and attitudes about local coney  populations, such as the cultural and financial significance of natural resources, in particular, of coney hunting. These will be used to investigate issues around alleviating human-wildlife conflict associated with coneys as crop pests, and with scope to develop a wider-scale interview survey to help understand the species’ distribution and status across different parts of Jamaica through the use of Local Ecological Knowledge.

One of the likely field sites will be in the Blue and John Crow Mountain National Park in Eastern Jamaica.

 

We would like to say a huge thank you to our SMSG core funders for 2024- Re:wild and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

Red List publication: Russian Desmans are now Critically Endangered

Russian Desman (Photo credit Klaus_Rudloff)

Russian Desmans (Desmana moschata) are semi-aquatic creatures related to moles, with an unusual appearance of rounded bodies, paddle-like feet, flattened tails and long snouts to help them dive and probe for prey underwater. They are the only species that still exist within their genus, and are restricted nowadays to few waterways in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Sadly, numbers of these small mole-mermaids are plummeting: Russian Desmans have been “up-listed” from Endangered to Critically Endangered in the latest IUCN Red List Update (Monday 11th December).  

Based on surveys undertaken in Russia, the decline of this species is estimated to have reached 83% over the previous decade, and it likely facing a similar scenario across the remainder of its fragmented range in Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Scientists have suggested that there are probably less than 4,000 individuals remaining in Russia, and potentially only a few hundred in Ukraine.  

Russian Desman (Photo credit Klaus Rudloff)

Russian Desman (Photo credit Klaus Rudloff)

Russian Desmans have rather strict habitat requirements. They prefer waterbodies 2-6 m in depth with rich water-marsh vegetation, bushes and primary forests along the banks, and with high macroinvertebrate abundance.

It is no surprise, then, that infrastructure-, climate- or pollution-induced changes to waterbodies can have devastating impacts on habitat quality for this species. Perhaps more lethally, the widespread use of stationary fishing nets poses a major threat to desmans. The nets, which are prohibited in many regions, are often left in the water for days or even months, drowning any desmans that accidentally get caught. Introduced predators, e.g., American Mink (Neogale vison), and possible competitors, e.g., Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus), may also be a problem.

What’s next? 

In Kazakhstan, the SMSG is supporting a new conservation project with the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) and researchers at North Kazakhstan University. Initially, the project will explore methods of monitoring desmans, including interview surveys with local water users and environmental DNA screening. Read more about this in our recent article here.

Russian Desmans are often referred to as bioindicators of ecosystem health. Their decline is therefore concerning for freshwater habitats and species on a much broader scale, and it is critical that every effort is made to conserve and, ultimately, downlist Russian Desmans on the Red List.

Russian Desman (Photo credit Klaus_Rudloff)

Russian Desman (Photo credit Klaus_Rudloff)

Iberian Desman Workshop

Iberian Desman workshop participants 2023

The Iberian Desman

Desmans are semi-aquatic small mammals that are members of the Talpidae mole family. The Iberian Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, where it is restricted to Andorra, France, northern and central Spain, and northern Portugal. It is one of only two species that still exist, the other being the Russian Desman (Desmana moschata), that is found in areas of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

The species is extremely well adapted to a semiaquatic lifestyle, where it mainly lives in fast-flowing mountain streams. The species favours watercourses where the margins offer some shelter, and it requires clean and well oxygenated water, mostly due to the requirements of its main prey, aquatic macroinvertebrates. It is therefore a good indicator species for healthy river systems.

Galemys pyrenaicus

Galemys pyrenaicus, photo credit: L. Quaglietta

In recent decades, the Iberian Desman has experienced significant declines across most of its range, resulting in its current IUCN Red List status of Endangered. Unfortunately, the species is affected by a number of threats. The construction of weirs, dams and other infrastructure has isolated populations to the point of high levels of inbreeding and low levels of genetic diversity. The introduction of an invasive predator to many of Europe’s waterways, the American Mink (Neogale vison), has also proven deadly. Further pressure is added by climate change and human activities such as fishing.

The Workshop

Iberian Desman workshop 2023 sign

Iberian Desman workshop 2023 sign

In late November 2023, the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation organised a workshop in Andorra La Vella, Andorra, titled “Towards a transboundary conservation strategy for the Iberian desman (Galemys pyrenaicus)“. This meeting brought together species experts from the four range countries. The workshop was made possible thanks to the generous support and hosting of the event by the Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture and Agriculture of the Government of AndorraFacilitation of the sessions was undertaken by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group.

On the final day, participants visited a local hydroelectric plant and dam on the outskirts of Andorra La Vella to find out about the ongoing desman survey work that is taking place and about various mitigations activities to reduce the impact of the infrastructure on the desman population.

 

Iberian Desman workshop participants 2023

Iberian Desman workshop participants 2023


Iberian Desman workshop presentation 2023

Iberian Desman workshop presentation 2023

 

Iberian Desman workshop 2023 field trip

Iberian Desman workshop 2023 field trip


Iberian Desman workshop 2023 activity

Iberian Desman workshop 2023 activity

What’s next?

The workshop was the first stage needed to do the groundwork, such as identifying relevant stakeholders for the planning process, in anticipation of a longer action planning exercise which will hopefully take place in 2024.

Russian Desman project in Kazakhstan: Conserving a mole-mermaid!

Russian Desman (Photo credit Klaus Rudloff)

Recently, we heard someone trying to describe what a Russian Desman (Desmana moschata) looks like and the delightful response was that it resembled a mole-mermaid!  Unfortunately, life is no fairytale for this species. Currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, it is expected that the species will be moved to Critically Endangered later this year due to continuing severe declines. Conservation attention is desperately needed, so the SMSG is pleased to be supporting a new conservation project in Kazakhstan. We hope this work, in collaboration with experts across the species’ native range, will contribute to the understanding of the threats to the species and be instrumental in developing conservation actions.  

Russian Desman (Photo credit Klaus Rudloff)

So, what exactly is a Russian Desman?

The Russian Desman (Desmana moschata), an aquatic member of the mole family, is endemic to waterways in European Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The species is pretty unusual, indeed, it features high up on ZSL’s EDGE Mammal List. To get an idea of what this unusual animal is like check out this video. The species is in severe decline, probably due to a number of factors ranging from loss and degradation of lakes and rivers, through to getting snagged up as bycatch in fishing nets.

Abandoned fishing net in lake

Abandoned fishing net in lake (Photo credit: R. Kennerley)

June expedition

In June of 2023, Dr Ros Kennerley (SMSG Co-Chair) and Prof. Sam Turvey (SMSG Conservation Coordinator) visited the stunning rivers and oxbow lakes that surround the Ural river in northwestern Kazakhstan to start a conservation project in the region.  The in-country partners for this project are the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) and researchers at North Kazakhstan University. One of the project fieldsites is Kirsanov Nature Sanctuary, which is a vast expanse of meandering rivers and lakes with wooded banks that borders Russia.

Kazakhstan Russian Desman team

Kazakhstan Russian Desman team – Dr Ros Kennerley, Prof. Sam Turvey, Dr Alyona Koshkina and Michail Shpigelman


Fieldwork in Kirsanov Nature Sanctuary in Northwest Kazakhstan (photo credit: R. Kennerley)

Visiting an oxbow lake

Visiting an oxbow lake (Photo credit: A. Koshkina)

 

What is happening? 

Field staff have been trained up and are currently out and about testing novel ways to collect the essential data needed to monitor and inform conservation actions. Interview surveys with local water users and environmental DNA screening are being trialled in known desman landscapes, and the results of these will be compared with data collected using traditional methods to monitor desmans by counting active burrows. The project aims to determine which approach is most efficient, cost- and labour-effective, and easy to conduct by local researchers.

Trailling a Local Ecological Knowledge questionnaire

Trialing a Local Ecological Knowledge questionnaire (photo credit: R. Kennerley)

Next steps

While we await the data and analyses from the trials, the project will examine the historical distributions of the species across the country and use various mapping data layers to unpick the likely causes of decline in Kazakhstan. Ultimately, the project aims to develop a long-term conservation monitoring and management plan with agreed goals, visions, milestones and stakeholder responsibilities, at both national and landscape levels.

 

We would like to express our huge thanks to our three funders for this project: The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, SSC EDGE Internal Grant, and Stiftung Artenschutz. We are also grateful for the support to our SMSG core costs from Re:wild, the Zoological Society of London and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

SMSG Summer Internship

Our team based in the UK is delighted to have been joined by student Thi Nguyen on a summer internship placement 

Summer intern Thi

Summer intern Thi

During my internship with the IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group, my primary focus is on developing a comprehensive field guide dedicated to the small mammals of Sulawesi. This was a significant outcome stemming from the Sulawesi Small Mammal Workshop that took place in May. Throughout this project, I look forward to learning more about small mammals and collaborating with others. Prior to this internship, I completed my third year of studying biology at the University of Oxford, during which I developed my interest in conservation science. I am particularly interested in human-wildlife conflict, and the strategies needed to mitigate these for optimal conservation outcomes. Next year, as part of my integrated masters, I will be investigating the mechanisms by which habitat degradation influences gharial reproductive fitness through its impacts on female aggression. Through this, I hope to provide valuable insights for conservation efforts targeting this critically endangered species.

Overall, I am excited to be joining SMSG for a period as this opportunity aligns well with my career aspirations and allows me to make a meaningful contribution to the field of conservation.