Rachel Crouthers
PHD Student
Research Interests
My PhD aims to use a range of ecological, genetic, and social science tools to gain a greater understanding on Asian elephant populations existing in multi-use anthropogenic landscapes in Southeast Asia. The primary objective of my study is to investigate if small fragmented elephant populations can persist within a socio-ecological landscape in Cambodia. Working with an array of partners, this research aims to make an important contribution to the field of conservation genetics by exploring the effectiveness of genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers against traditional genetic markers for assessing population size and genetic structure of wild Asian elephants.
Findings from this study will contribute to, an improved knowledge on Asian elephant population status, advancements in genetic tools to study spatial and temporal movement, and factors that influence human-elephant conflict. Results from my study will allow conservation practitioners to develop inter-disciplinary strategies that will be beneficial to both elephant conservation and the wellbeing of people co-utilising shared resources.
Background
Conservation Biologist with over 10 years’ research experience in South-east Asia, Africa, Latin America and the UK. Established, implemented and managed multiple globally endangered species monitoring surveys. Expertise in endangered species conservation, biodiversity monitoring techniques, protected area management and mitigation strategies. Obtained an MSc in Conservation Biology (MMU) in 2010.
Supervisors
Dr Peter Ritchie, Victoria University of Wellington
Dr Wayne Linklater, California State University
Funding Acknowledgements
DARWIN Initiative, WWF, Humanscale and BMZ
Location
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand; RZSS, UK; Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Latest News
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Blog
19/04/2024
An update from the Budongo Forest
The Budongo Conservation Field Station (BCFS) in Uganda is one of our wildlife conservation charity’s longest partnerships.
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Blog
29/03/2024
Bug’s the word
For many people the sight, or perhaps even just the thought, of bugs can be enough to make you feel a little uneasy. Invertebrates are an important part of our ecosystems but helping everyone feel the love for them can be a bit tricky.