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The Durrell Trust for Conservation Biology
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CV
Current work Working on the white-clawed crayfish project, DICE together with Dr Jim Groombridge and Claire Browne on a project funded by the Environment Agency.
PhD research entitled "Population genetics, disease, and reproductive fitness in the endemic Echo Parakeet (Psittacula eques) and the introduced Ringneck Parakeet (P. krameri) on Mauritius".
Reasons for the decline of this island endemic include habitat loss and introduction of exotic species such as Indian Mynah birds (Acridotheres tristis) and ringneck parakeets (Psittacula kramerii) which compete with the echo parakeet for food sources and nest sites. Introduced mammals such as the Ship Rat (Rattus rattus), Crab-eating Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and domestic cat (Felis sylvestris) have also had a devastating effect on the survival of young parakeets. Aims of the research include:
This study is co-supervised and supported by Wildlife Vets International and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation. Microsatellite development and genotyping was performed in collaboration with Andy Krupa, Deborah Dawson and Terry Burke at the NERC Sheffield Molecular Genetics Facility.
Funding Publications Raisin, C., Dawson, D. A., Greenwood, A. G., Jones, C. G. and Groombridge, J. J. (2009) Characterization of Mauritius parakeet (Psittacula eques) microsatellite Loci and their cross-utility in other parrots (Psittacidae, Aves). Molecular Ecology Resources, 9, 1231-1235 .
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The echo parakeet, a species endemic to the island of Mauritius, was once the world’s most endangered parrot having experienced a severe population bottleneck during the 1980s when its population dropped to less than 20 individuals. Thanks to an intensive recovery programme started in 1988 by the 
The species recovery programme for the echo parakeet involves close monitoring of all known active nest sites, and until recently hand rearing and fostering to increase productivity of the population. The recovery of the echo parakeet can be attributed to a combination of captive-breeding and reintroduction and highly intensive management of the free-living population.
Some birds die soon after infection and others may live for sometime either getting progressively worse or by mounting an immune response and appearing to recover. The disease is highly infectious and is transmitted in, among other things, feather dust. Particularly susceptible are young birds that are exposed to the disease by their parents and have no ability to mount an immune response. Symptoms in young birds include septicaemia, pneumonia, enteritis, rapid weight loss and death. The source of PBFD on Mauritius is not yet clearly known, but the more widespread, introduced population of ringneck parakeets on the island are one possible source.
