Team Bio

Angelica and I are part of the University of Bristol's Bat Ecology and Bioacoustics lab, which is comprised of around ten academics of different career levels and fields of expertise who collaborate and support one another in their quest for bat-based research. In our lab we have geneticists, ecologists, zoologists and climate change scientists, to name a few, all of whom would be happy to help if needed. At the head of our lab group is Professor Gareth Jones.

Sarah Richdon

Since childhood, I have always had a fascination with zoology and the natural world. Whereas some people become inadvertent experts on car models or sports trivia through casual interest, my area of choice was always animals. Starting low-key with various pets, trips to the zoo and a love of natural history programs, this passion for zoology became increasingly prevalent in my career choices as I began to specialise first in biological sciences at A-level and then zoology at BSc Hons level.

With my zoology degree, I quickly gained a part-time job working for Bristol Zoo Gardens which allowed me the time to consider a part-time PhD. For years I was unsure of the topic that my PhD would cover but, after volunteering for 18 months with Bristol Zoo Gardens and working with many of the mammal species present, it was clear that the Livingstone's fruit bats were a high priority.

The Livingstone's fruit bat is a Critically Endangered species, which has currently received very little research attention. This was surprising to me as they are highly social, have a range of interesting vocalisations and are individually identifiable, meaning behavioural study is possible. However, one vitally important project, which I realised would revolutionise their captive breeding program and go a long way to saving the species as a whole, is the production of a family tree or pedigree. Therefore, I signed up to the University of Bristol, UK, with the plan to produce a pedigree analysis for this species, with assistance from my colleague Angelica Menchaca Rodriguez.

As I created my PhD independently, I receive no regular funding and, up to now, I have paid for almost all of my academic fees and expenses using my part-time salary from Bristol Zoo Gardens. This year, I have received so far is £1000 from Bristol Zoo Gardens' staff-development grant towards my academic fees this year (£2,093 for 16/17 academic year).

Angelica Menchaca Rodriguez

Ever since I can remember I have been amazed by mammals. I grew up in a jungle, but not particularly the kind with big trees and wildlife. A jungle of concrete where people often think the only wildlife are pigeons and squirrels. But my vision of the world opened when my family got cable TV and I was able to see the wonders of this world and the amazing work of naturalists like Steve Irwin, David Attenborough and Jane Goodall.

My parents always encouraged me to pursue my dreams, even when the idea of becoming a Biologist was full of stigmas. So, I put my heart and soul into it, joined the largest University in Latin America and graduated as a Biologist. Then, I climbed one step higher and pursued a masters degree in Conservation in another big concrete jungle. But luckily I conducted my research in mind blowing sites, and got to travel to exotic places and encounter wildlife I had never even imagined existed. Today I'm at the peak of my career studies pursuing a PhD degree in Ecology and Evolution of bats.

Bats are the most exciting creatures in this world. They fly, they have extraordinary senses, they are intelligent, they are so diverse and so many interesting questions can be solved by studying them. Bats caught my eye early in my career, and like my first love, they got imprinted on me forever. I have seen my dreams materialize and now I am one step closer to becoming a great scientist that will make a difference in this world.