IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group Student Research Assistance Scheme (SRAS)

The IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group’s Student Research Assistance Scheme (SRAS) has been developed with the specific goal of encouraging and assisting undergraduate and post-graduate students to undertake formal research on crocodilians, particularly field research. The CSG recognizes that crocodile research often involves a greater commitment of resources and time by students, relative to many other subjects, and believes that this justifies efforts to assist. This is the type of research that gives students the skills needed to assist crocodile conservation and to become active CSG members in the future.

Visit http://www.iucncsg.org/pages/General-Information.html

Rufford Small Grant

The Rufford Foundation provides funding for nature conservation projects in developing countries.

Visit https://apply.ruffordsmallgrants.org

The John Thorbjarnarson Fellowship for Reptile Research

The WCS Research Fellowship Program (RFP) is a small grants program designed to build capacity for the next generation of conservationists by supporting individual field research projects that have a clear application to the conservation of threatened wildlife and wild places.  Collectively, the professionals receiving RFP grants will apply field-tested conservation science to the challenges facing the natural world.

https://programs.wcs.org/rfp/

The next online meeting of the ECCN will be held on February 25, 2022 at 8pm Indian Standard Time.

The meeting link has been sent to all members.

This post will be updated with the highlights of the meeting.

Our inaugural talk was Rom Whitaker who has contributed so much to crocodile research in South Asia and beyond.

Romulus Whitaker is one of the most respected herpetologists and wildlife conservationists, with a very rich history of working with crocodilians as well as other reptiles. He is the co-founder of the Madras Crocodile Bank and Trust, as well as the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station.

He gave a wonderful presentation for the ECCN members and answered many questions and provided invaluable advice to early career individuals at various stages in their research.

Below are some highlights of the talk. Members can access the recording here. [Available soon]

The first meeting of the Early Career Crocodile Network was held online on January 21, 2022.

The participants from across South Asia briefly shared a bit about their work and aspirations.