Jo Howard-McCombe
PhD student
Determining levels of hybridisation and introgression in the Scottish wildcat: implications for conservation
My PhD project aims to fully understand wildcat and domestic cat hybridisation in Scotland. I will use genomic data and statistical modelling to examine the history of hybridisation in Britain, quantify current hybridisation levels and model future conservation management options for Scottish wildcat. My project aims to support conservation work carried out by the RZSS as part of the Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Plan.
Supervisors
Prof. Mark Beaumont
Dr. Helen Senn (RZSS)
Dr. Dan Lawson
Dr. Andrew Kitchener
Prof. Mike Bruford
Background
BSc (Cardiff University) Molecular Biology
Location
University of Bristol, UK
Latest News
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News
27/10/2023
RZSS response to the UK Government’s intention to deprioritise species restoration
I was surprised and dismayed to read about the UK Government’s intention to deprioritise species restoration, which fails to recognise the importance of that vital pillar of biodiversity recovery, as well as flying in the face of recent guidance from the world authority for conservation, the IUCN.
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News
13/10/2023
Critically endangered wildcats now call the Cairngorms National Park home
The first round of wildcat releases in Scotland has been completed by Saving Wildcats, led by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) in partnership with NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), The Cairngorms National Park Authority, Nordens Ark and Consejería de Sostenibilidad, Medio Ambiente y Economía Azul de la Junta de Andalucía.