Galen B. Rathbun
Research Associate & Honorary Fellow
Department of Ornithology and Mammalogy
   
  Galen with newly described Gray-faced Sengi, Rhynchocyon  udzungwensis
  Above: Galen with newly described Gray-faced Sengi, Rhynchocyon udzungwensis.
   

Professional Background:

Galen received his undergraduate degree from Humboldt State University (California) and
then served in the Peace Corps in Kenya for 5 years as a secondary school science teacher
and museum education officer. He then received his Ph.D. in zoology from the University
of Nairobi in Kenya in 1976 followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the Smithsonian
Institution's National Zoological Park. Most of his career was as a federal research biologist and project leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Florida manatee and California sea otter programs. In addition to his affiliation with the Academy, he is a Scientist Emeritus with the U.S. Geological Survey. He serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of African Ecology and Marine Mammal Science. As the founding Chair of the Afrotheria Specialist Group of the IUCN – the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Galen remains active in conservation biology.


Research Interests:

Galen’s research has focused on the behavioral ecology of vertebrates, conservation biology of declining species, and the application of innovative field techniques. His recent research includes understanding the basic life history of California red-legged frogs and Pacific pond turtles, the impacts of cattle grazing on a community of small mammals in the San Joaquin Valley of California, and the evolution of monogamy using elephant-shrews (sengis) and dassie-rats (nokis) in Namibia (southwestern Africa) as models. Currently, he is exploring the taxonomy of sengis in collaboration with several colleagues, including Drs. Francesco Rovero, Jack Dumbacher, and Hanneline Smit.



 

Publications

   

Over 120 publications, professional and popular.


Sengi Website

   

Find out about elephant shrews or sengis.


Learn more about our 2007 trip to Namibia.


Afrotheria Specialist Group

   

Our Afrotheria Specialist Group website can be found here, including much information on ASG mission and goals, our member list, and up-to-date newsletters.

Contact Information

   

Email Galen Rathbun

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