CURRICULUM VITAE
Name: Shaila Jane Rao. Address: Department of Zoology,
University of Aberdeen,
Tillydrone Avenue,
Aberdeen
Date of birth: 12.12.70. Aberdeenshire,
AB24 2TZ.
Tel: 01224-273641 e-mail: sjraouk@yahoo.co.uk
Education and Qualifications
1997 - 2001: University of Aberdeen & Macaulay Land Use Research Institute.
Ph.D funded by a NERC CASE Studentship
Thesis title - The interaction between the feeding ecology of
mountain hares (Lepus timidus) and native woodland. Habitat selection
was assessed using pellet-counts and radio-tracking. Diet selection
was analysed using plant wax markers (n-alkanes & long-chain
alcohols) in faeces. Field quantification of browsing was conducted
to assess browsing damage at a number of upland sites across Scotland.
A planting experiment to investigate the effect of tree density,
heather height and season on browsing damage was also carried
out.
1993 - 1994: University of Edinburgh.
MSc. in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare.
Main course topics included: animal behaviour, health, welfare
and wildlife management. Thesis title - The Social Behaviour of
a Captive Group of Bush dogs (Speothos venaticus).
1989 - 1993: Napier University, Edinburgh.
BSc. (1st class Hons) in Biological Sciences.
Current position
8/2001 - present: Postdoctoral research assistant - University
of Aberdeen
Managing a NERC contract investigating the use of stable-isotope
ratios in determining intra-guild predation within a forest ecosystem.
Radio-tracking weasels, stable-isotope analysis of tissue samples
from field voles, weasels, foxes and raptors, data analyses and
report writing.
Previous employment
7/2001: Contract with the Macaulay Research Institute - habitat
assessment
Assessing the impact of herbivores of the vegetation and woodland
within the Glenelg Deer Management Group area.
9/2000: Consultancy work for Bidwells - beaver re-introduction
feasibility study
Providing advice on the method of assessing site suitability for
beaver re-introduction in Scotland. Fieldwork conducted on two
Forest Enterprise sites in west Scotland.
2/98: Scottish Natural Heritage contract - mountain hare survey
Testing the distance sampling method for assessing mountain hare
numbers in Deeside, Scotland.
6/97-9/97: Field Assistant for Stockholm University arctic
fox project
Den searching, trapping, radio-tracking foxes and making behavioural
observations as part of a long term conservation project in the
uplands of northern Sweden.
1/95-3/97: Research Assistant for Wildlife Conservation Research
Unit, University of
Oxford
Scottish wildcat project, Grampians, Scotland.
Radio-tracking and trapping wild living cats for a project investigating
the ecology of wildcats and interbreeding between domestic/feral
and wildcats.
Bush dog project feasibiliity study, Paraguay, South America.
Reconnaissance visit to Mbaracayu Forest Nature Reserve in Eastern
Paraguay to assess its suitability for a long term bush dog project.
Beaver re-introduction feasibility study for Scottish Natural
Heritage.
Assessing the suitability of the habitat for beaver re-introduction
at sites across Scotland.
Bush dog project, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Kent.
Observing and collecting data on the social behaviour of a captive
group of bush dogs.
3/95-6/95: Research Assistant for Mississippi Sandhill Crane
National Wildlife Refuge
U.S.A. Student Conservation Association Resource Assistant Programme.
Radio-tracking, feeding and observing the endangered Mississippi
Sandhill crane. Other duties included nest searching, checking
egg viability and health of hatched chicks.
Additional Skills
Full clean driving licence, four-wheel driving and ATV skills.
Cash handling experience. Experience with word processing, data-base,
spreadsheet, statistic and GIS computer software.
Referees
Prof. Paul Racey, Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB9 2TN. Tel. 01224-272858, e-mail. p.racey@abdn.ac.uk
Dr. Glenn Iason, The Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler Road,
Aberdeen, AB15 8QH.
Tel. 01224-318611, e-mail. g.iason@mluri.sari.ac.uk
Prof. David Macdonald, Wildlife Conservation Reasearch Unit, University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, OX1 3PS. Tel. 01865-271289, e-mail. d.macdonald@zoo.ox.ac.uk
Publications
Macdonald,D.W., Tattersall,F.H., Rushton,S., Rao,S.J., Maitland,P.
& Strachan, R. 2000.
Reintroducing the beaver (Castor fiber) to Scotland: a protocol
for identifying and assessing suitable release sites. Animal Conservation.
3:125 - 133.
Iason,G.R., and Rao,S J. 1999. The feeding ecology of mountain hares and its importance to native woodland dynamics. Proceedings of Workshop on Grazing Management Options for Native Woodlands. Eds. Hester, A.J. and Birnie, R.V.
Rao,S.J., & Whittaker,T. 1996. Problems in hand-rearing a single bush dog. International Zoo News 43 (4) :222-227.
Submitted:
Rao,S.J., Iason,G.R., Hulbert, I.A.R., Daniels,M.J. & Racey,P.A. Tree browsing by mountain hares (Lepus timidus) in establishing Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) & birch (Betula pendula) woodland: Effects and mechanisms. Forest Ecology and Management.
Rao,S.J., Iason,G.R., Hulbert, I.A.R. & Racey,P.A. Habitat selection and home-range size of mountain hares (Lepus timidus) in an upland landscape containing an establishing woodland. Journal of Applied Ecology.
Manuscripts in preparation:
Rao,S.J., Iason,G.R., Hulbert, I.A.R. Elston,D. A. & Racey,P.A. The effects of tree density, heather height and season on browsing of birch (Betula pubescens) by mountain hares. For submission to Oikos.
Rao,S.J., Iason,G.R. & Hulbert, I.A.R. The effects of tree density, heather height and season on browsing and subsequent discarding of birch shoots (Betula pubescens) by mountain hares. a field experiment. For submission to Forest Ecology and Management.
Rao,S.J., Iason,G.R., Hulbert, I.A.R. & Racey,P.A. The diet composition of mountain hares in an upland habitat mosaic containing a newly established Pinus sylvestris and Betula pubescens woodland; analysis of plant wax markers in faeces. For submission to Jourmal of Applied Ecology.