Dr Bradley Cain

Why study ?

Undergraduate courses

I am the unit leader of the 1st year Introduction to Genetics and Evolution unit and co-teach the unit with Dr Trish Linton.

I am the unit leader of the 3rd year Conservation and Genetics of populations unit and co-teach the unit with Dr Jenny Rowntree.

I contribute to the 2nd year Conservation Biology unit.

Postgraduate teaching

I am the MMU Programme leader for the African Wildlife Ecology and Conservation MSc in collaboration with the College of African Wildlife Management (CAWM), in Moshi, Tanzania. I am also the unit leader of the Contemporary Issues in Conservation unit on this MSc

I co-teach the MSc Topics in Organismal Genetics unit with Dr Sarah Griffiths.

I contribute to the Species Recovery, Biodiversity and Conservation, and Practical Techniques units.

Postgraduate supervision (completed/in progress)

Current postgraduate students:

Principal supervisor

Alexandra Watts (PhD) - A molecular approach to understanding whale shark biology and population structure across all three ocean basins.

Co-supervisor

Joana Borges (PhD) – The feeding ecology and genetics of the eastern black rhinoceros.

Guuske Tiktak (PhD) – Conservation management of elasmobranch populations.

Anita Hashmi (PhD) - Linking in and ex situ conservation: the One Plan approach and the genetics of endangered African megafauna

Grace Ellison (PhD) – Behaviour and ecology of the Northern lesser galago (Galago senegalensis).

Former students:

Principal supervisor

Elodie Wielgus (PhD) – The social dynamics of the Cape buffalo and the epidemiological implications (completed 2020).

Jacqueline Morrison (PhD) – Physiological and ecological effects of fencing elephants in montane forests, Kenya (completed 2020).

Co-supervisor

Tommy Sandri (PhD) – Ecology and conservation genetics of the critically endangered mountain bongo (completed 2021).

Sarah Scott (PhD) – Conservation ecology and social behaviour of the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) (completed 2020).

Research expertise

I have an interest in using molecular and ecological techniques to answer applied conservation questions. Much of my research focusses on sub-Saharan Africa, where I work on a diverse range of projects including the impact of fencing elephants, disease transmission at the wildlife-livestock interface, bush meat, reintroductions and translocations, human-wildlife conflict and the factors mediating reproductive output in both black and white rhinoceros. I also have an interest in applying molecular techniques to understand species biology and population structure in terrestrial and marine organisms.

Academic collaborations

I collaborate with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), Zoological Society of London (ZSL), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Marine Megafauna Foundation, Chester Zoo, Centre de cooperation internationale en recherche (CIRAD) and the Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnel et Evolutive (CEFE-CNRS)

Publications

• Journal articles

  T. Sandri, C. Okell, S. Nixon, N. Matthews, F. Omengo, et al. J. Mathenge, S. Ndambuki, DWS. Challender, R. Chepkwony, P. Omondi, S. Ngene, B. Cain. (2023). Three spatially separate records confirm the presence of and provide a range extension for the giant pangolin Smutsia gigantea in Kenya. Oryx. 57(6), pp.714-717.

  J. Borges, TP. Higginbottom, B. Cain, DE. Gadiye, A. Kisingo, et al. M. Jones, E. Symeonakis. (2022). Landsat time series reveal forest loss and woody encroachment in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania. REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION.

  G. Ellison, M. Jones, B. Cain, CM. Bettridge (2021). Taxonomic and geographic bias in 50 years of research on the behaviour and ecology of galagids. PLoS ONE. 16(12 December),

  E. Wielgus, A. Caron, E. Bennitt, M. De Garine‐Wichatitsky, B. Cain, et al. H. Fritz, E. Miguel, D. Cornélis, S. Chamaillé‐Jammes. (2021). Inter‐Group Social Behavior, Contact Patterns and Risk for Pathogen Transmission in Cape Buffalo Populations. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 85(8), pp.1574-1590.

  WE. Harris, S. De Kort, C. Bettridge, J. Borges, B. Cain, et al. H. Dulle, R. Fyumagwa, D. Gadiye, M. Jones, L. Kahana, J. Kibebe, JR. Kideghesho, FF. Kimario, A. Kisingo, F. Makari, E. Martin, A. Martin, MB. Masuruli, K. Melubo, H. Mossman, L. Munishi, R. Mwaya, R. Nasi, O. Nyakunga, E. Price, RA. Shoo, EF. Strange, E. Symeonakis, J. Fa. (2021). A Learning Networks approach to resolve conservation challenges in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. African Journal of Ecology. 59(1), pp.326-331.

  J. Fa, G. Ros Brull, E. Ávila Martin, R. Kale, F. Fouda, et al. MA. Fárfan, B. Cain, R. Fisher, L. Coad, SM. Funk. (2021). Hunting territories and land use overlap in sedentarised Baka Pygmy communities in southeastern Cameroon. Scientific Reports. 11,

  R. Wimbles, LM. Melling, B. Cain, N. Davies, J. Doherty, et al. B. Johnson, KJ. Shaw. (2021). On-site genetic analysis for species identification using lab-on-a-chip. Ecology and Evolution. 11(4), pp.1535-1543.

  E. Wielgus, D. Cornélis, M. Garine‐Wichatitsky, B. Cain, H. Fritz, et al. E. Miguel, H. Valls‐Fox, A. Caron, S. Chamaillé‐Jammes. (2020). Are fission–fusion dynamics consistent among populations? A large‐scale study with Cape buffalo. Ecology and Evolution. 10(17), pp.9240-9256.

  J. Morrison, TP. Higginbottom, E. Symeonakis, MJ. Jones, F. Omengo, et al. SL. Walker, B. Cain. (2018). Detecting vegetation change in response to confining elephants in forests using MODIS time-series and BFAST. Remote Sensing. 10(7),

  FJ. Combe, E. Taylor-Cox, G. Fox, T. Sandri, N. Davis, et al. MJ. Jones, B. Cain, D. Mallon, WE. Harris. (2018). Rapid isolation and characterization of microsatellites in the critically endangered mountain bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci). Journal of Genetics. 97(2), pp.549-553.

  FJ. Combe, JS. Ellis, KL. Lloyd, B. Cain, CP. Wheater, et al. WE. Harris. (2016). After the Ice Age: The Impact of Post-Glacial Dispersal on the Phylogeography of a Small Mammal, Muscardinus avellanarius. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 4(72), pp.1-12.

  B. Cain, PC. Watts, AB. Wandera, B. Stevens-Wood, SG. Shawcross (2013). A reliable, single-step method for gender determination in black rhinoceros from low-copy template DNA. Conservation Genetics Resources. 5(3), pp.655-657.

  B. Cain, AB. Wandera, SG. Shawcross, W. Edwin Harris, B. Stevens-Wood, et al. SJ. Kemp, B. Okita-Ouma, PC. Watts. (2013). Sex-Biased Inbreeding Effects on Reproductive Success and Home Range Size of the Critically Endangered Black Rhinoceros. Conservation Biology.

• Conferences

  G. Tiktak, T. Hughes, M. Brandt, FR. Diz, KEB. Vasquez, et al. C. Peñaherrera, A. Gabb, B. Cain, D. Megson, R. Preziosi, KJ. Shaw. (2021). GENETIC IDENTIFICATION OF THREATENED HAMMERHEAD SHARKS ILLEGALLY SOLD AT ARTISNAL FISH MARKETS IN ECUADOR. In: MicroTAS 2021 - 25th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences. pp.129-130.

  R. Wimbles, LM. Melling, B. Cain, KJ. Shaw (2018). Conservation and wildlife forensic applications of a microfluidic device for threatened species. In: 22nd International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences, MicroTAS 2018. pp.2268-2270.