Rats and mice have been evolving in Australia for around 4 million years. And no, I’m not talking about ‘marsupial mice’, I mean proper rodents – no pouches. Australia used to be home to ~65 amazingly diverse and bizarre species of native rodent, but in the past 200 years we’ve accidentally wiped out 15 of those species. Of the remaining 50 or so rodent species we have, 24 are currently threatened with extinction.
Dr Phoebe Burns, principle ecologist at Native Mouse Ecological Consulting, is a threatened species ecologist, mammalogist, and native rodent expert. Phoebe has been researching endangered Australian rodents since 2013, focusing on fire ecology, optimising survey techniques, and creating effective conservation programs.
Phoebe has extensive field experience, having conducted more than 27,000 Elliott trap nights, > 850 camera trap sets, identification of over a million camera trap images, > 200 hours spotlighting for arboreal marsupials, and collection of hundreds of genetic samples.
Phoebe has extensive field experience, having conducted more than 27,000 Elliott trap nights, > 850 camera trap sets, identification of over a million camera trap images, > 200 hours spotlighting for arboreal marsupials, and collection of hundreds of genetic samples.
Phoebe’s research focuses include two endangered rodent species: the New Holland Mouse and the Smoky Mouse, as well as many other terrestrial and arboreal mammal species such as Greater Gliders, Yellow-bellied Gliders and Leadbeaters Possums.
Phoebe also has strong skills in GIS, statistical analyses, written reporting and providing scientifically rigorous management plans and threatened species assessments.
native mouse 