Peter Taylor Email and Phone Number

I am a mammalogist and evolutionary biologist specializing in the systematics, ecology, conservation and ecosystem services and disservices of small mammals, in particular rodents, bats and shrews. I obtained my PHD degree from the University of Natal in Durban, South Africa in 1991 on the infraspecific systematics of the yellow mongoose. I was employed as Curator of Mammals at the Durban Natural Science Museum from 1989 to 2010 (including 11 months as Acting Director). Since February 2010, I have been employed as Associate Professor (2010-2012), Professor (2012-present) and South African Research Chair in “Biodiversity Value & Change in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve” (2013 to present) at the University of Venda in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. I am also currently also a Research Associate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), as well as a Core Team Member of the Centre for Invasion Biology based at University of Stellenbosch. I have lectured undergraduate courses in a wide range of subjects in the natural and environmental sciences, and have supervised or co-supervised 17 MSc and 9 PHD studies. I currently supervise or co-supervise about 20 postgraduate (MSc and PHD) students.During my phase at the Museum (1989-2010), I established a small mammal collection that formed the basis of four scientific books authored or co-authored by me on African small mammals (1998), bats (2000 and 2010) and rodents (2015). In 1994, I co-founded an organisation called Bats KZN to further bat conservation in South Africa that continues actively today. Since moving to the University of Venda in 2010, I continued my taxonomic research while developing new research interests in applied aspects of biodiversity science including ecologically-based rodent management (EBRM), biological control of macadamia pests by bats and the impacts of climate change on Afromontane small mammals. Publications available: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Peter_Taylor6/contributions