Index of /depts/fitzpatrick/docs - Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African ...

the Cederberg Conservation Group at Kirstenbosch in October2002. He also facilitated several postgraduate discussiongroups at the Institute during the review period, including afundamental reassessment of evolutionary theory.recently published a book in the Oxford Ornithology series‘Harriers of the World: their behaviour and ecology’. He iscontinuing that work with a new study of the endemic BlackHarrier in the southwestern Cape in collaboration with Fitz staffand students. His conservation interests are very diverse andhave covered the full gamut from albatrosses to cranes andterns to woodhoopoes. His main interests are endemicNamibian species and long term studies of Namibian wetlandsand more recently its rivers. Rob lives in Windhoek with his wifeand two daughters and is currently writing Namibia's first RedData book on birds.Rob Simmons with a Black Harrier Circus maurus. Only 500breeding pairs remain making this the second most endangeredharrier species in the world. Photo: Andrew JenkinsDr Rob SimmonsRob is a forty-three year old British-born, ecologist,conservation biologist and ornithologist, specialising inpopulation ecology, behavioural ecology and life history theory.He has enjoyed a varied research background in the UK,Canada, Sweden and Africa, with interests in evolution ofmating systems, sibling aggression, reproductive constraints,latitudinal effects on breeding output and conservation ofendemic and wetland birds in Namibia. He is currentlyemployed as an ornithologist in Namibia's National BiodiversityProgramme. His academic research interests have focused onthe ecology and evolution of raptorial birds culminating in28 Percy FitzPatrick Institute Annual Report: July 2002 - June 2003