AVIAN ECOLOGY RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY on SMALL Island

Looking for individual, organization, or university laboratory to conduct long-term research on Mariana crow and Rota bridled white-eye decline on the island of Rota in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. All forest bird species on this small 86 sq km island located in the Pacific are experiencing declines. There is seed funding through the Division of Fish and Wildlife to continue previous Mariana crow ecology and population decline research and begin to investigate bridled white-eye decline and associated native forest bird
decline. The research will be located on the Island of Rota in the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Mariana Crow is endemic to Rota and Guam but has been almost extirpated from Guam due to the Brown Tree Snake. This research will require evaluating past research and developing long-term research objectives, questions and goals. These will include the possibility that all forest bird declines are related. This is a very challenging position, on a remote island and will require a highly motivated individual/organization/laboratory. It also has tremendous long-term research potential, as most the native birds species are endemic
to either Rota or the whole archipelago. It will require co-ordination
with the Mariana's recovery team, the USFWS and the local DFW. The initial seed funding is available through the local CNMI DFW but additional funding will be needed. For more information contact LAURA WILLIAMS (EM:lwilliams@itecnmi.com) or SHELLY KREMER (EM: skremer@vzpacifica.net).