Eremitalpa granti, the Golden Mole
  Above: Golden mole Eremitalpa granti.
Below: Galen radio-tracking golden mole Eremitalpa granti, in the Namib Desert, Namibia, southwestern Africa.
  Galen radio-tracking golden mole Eremitalpa granti, in the Namib Desert, Namibia, southwestern Africa.
   

Dr. Galen B. Rathbun
Research Associate &
Honorary Fellow
Department of
Ornithology & Mammalogy
California Academy of Sciences
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA 94118

Research:

Galen received his undergraduate degree from Humboldt State University (California) and after receiving his Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Nairobi in Kenya in 1976 he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park.  His research interests include the behavioral ecology of vertebrates, conservation biology of declining species, and the application of innovative field techniques.  Most of his career was as a federal research biologist studying Florida manatees and California sea otters.  In addition to his affiliation with the Academy, he is a Scientist Emeritus with the U.S. Geological Survey.  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, and the evolution of monogamy in elephant-shrews (sengis) and dassie rats in Namibia (southwestern Africa).  As the founding Chair of the Afrotheria Specialist Group of the IUCN - The World Conservation Union, Galen remains active in conservation biology.

Education:

A.A., College of San Mateo, San Mateo, California, 1964, Zoology.

B.A., Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, 1966, Zoology.

Certificate in African Studies, Teachers' College, Columbia University, New York, New York, 1966.

University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya, 1972, completed course requirements in The Biology of Conservation M.Sc. program.  Upgraded to Ph.D.

Ph.D., University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya, 1976, Zoology.  Dissertation title:  The Ecology and Social Structure of the Elephant-shrews Rhynchocyon chrysopygus Günther and Elephantulus rufescens Peters.  264 pp.

Professional Experience:

1963-1965 (summers):  Park Naturalist, Huddart and Memorial County Parks, San Mateo County, California; Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, Julian, California.

1966 (part-time):  Museum Research Assistant, Vertebrate Museum, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California.

1967-1970:  Peace Corps: Science Teacher, Mirogi Secondary School, South Nyanza, Kenya; Museum Education Officer, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya.

1971-1976:  Graduate student, Department of Zoology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.

1976-1978:  Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

1978-1999:  Wildlife Research Biologist,  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (National Biological Survey & U. S. Geological Survey), Gainesville, Florida, and San Simeon, California.

1999 – present:  Research Associate and Honorary Fellow, Department of Ornithology/Mammalogy, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California.

1999 – present:  Scientist Emeritus, Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, San Simeon, California.

Publications - over 100 technical and popular, selected include:

  1. Marsh, H. and G.B. Rathbun.  1990.  Development and application of conventional and satellite radio-tracking techniques for studying dugong movements and habitat use.  Australian Wildlife Research 17:83-100.
  2. Nicoll, M. and G.B. Rathbun.  1990.  African Insectivora and Elephant-shrews - An Action Plan for their Conservation.  IUCN, Glands, Switzerland.  53 pp.
  3. Ottenwalder, J.A., C.A. Woods, G.B. Rathbun, and J.B. Thorbjarnarson.  1990.  Status of the greater flamingo in Haiti.  Colonial Waterbirds 13:115-123.
  4. Rathbun, G.B., R.J. Jameson, G.R. VanBlaricom, and R.L. Brownell, Jr.  1990.  Reintroduction of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) to San Nicolas Island, California:  Preliminary results for the first year.  Pp. 99-114 in P.J. Bryant and J. Remington (eds.).  Endangered Wildlife and Habitats in Southern California.  Memoirs of the Natural History Foundation of Orange County; Vol. 3.  Natural History Foundation of Orange County, Newport Beach, CA.
  5. Rathbun, G.B., J.P. Reid, and G. Carowan.  1990.  Distribution and movement patterns of manatees (Trichechus manatus) in northwestern peninsular Florida.  Florida Marine Research Publications No. 48. 33 pp.
  6. O'Shea, T.J., G.B. Rathbun, R. Bonde, C. Buergelt, and D. Odell.  1991.  An epizootic of Florida manatees associated with a dinoflagellate bloom.  Marine Mammal Science 7:165-179.
  7. Reid, J.P., G.B. Rathbun, and J.R. Wilcox. 1991.  Distribution patterns of individually identifiable manatees (Trichechus manatus) in Florida.  Marine Mammal Science 7:180-190.
  8. Rathbun, G.B., N. Siepel, and D. Holland.  1992.  Nesting behavior and movements of western pond turtles, Clemmys marmorata.  The Southwestern Naturalist 37(3):319-324.
  9. Rathbun, G. B.  1992.  The Fairly True Elephant-shrew.  Natural History 101(9):54-61.
  10. Rathbun, G.B.  1993.  Book review of "Manatees and Dugongs" by J.E. Reynolds, III, and D.K. Odell.  Facts On File, New York.  192pp.  Marine Mammal Science 9(1):114-115.
  11. Estes, J.A., G.B. Rathbun, and G.R. VanBlaricom.  1993.  Paradigms for managing carnivores:  the case of the sea otter.  Pp. 307-320 in N. Dunstone (ed.).  Mammals as predators.  Symposia of the Zoological Society of London No. 65.
  12. FitzGibbon, C.D. and G.B. Rathbun. 1994.  Surveying Rhynchocyon elephant-shrews in tropical forest.  African Journal of Ecology 32:50-57.
  13. Rathbun, G.B.  1995.  Conservation issues and strategies for elephant-shrews.  Mammal Review 25:79-86.
  14. Marsh, H., G.B. Rathbun, T.J. O’Shea, and A.R. Preen.  1995.  Can dugongs survive in Palau?  Biological Conservation 72:85-89.
  15. Rathbun, G.B., J.P. Reid, R.K. Bonde, and J.A. Powell.  1995.  Reproduction in free-ranging Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris).      Pp.135-156 in T.J. O'Shea, B.B. Ackerman, and H.F. Percival (eds.).  Population biology of the Florida manatee.  National Biological Service Information and Technology Report 1.
  16. Hatfield, B.B. and G.B. Rathbun.  1996.  Evaluation of a flipper-mounted transmitter on sea otters.  Wildlife Society Bulletin 24:551-554.
  17. Rathbun, G.B. and T. Murphey.  1996.  An evaluation of a radio-belt for ranid frogs.  Herpetological Review 27:187-189.
  18. Gallo, J-P. and G.B. Rathbun.  1997.  Status of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in Mexico.  Marine Mammal Science 13:332-340.
  19. Rathbun, G.B., N.J. Scott, Jr., and T.G. Murphey.  1997.  Rana aurora draytonii (California red-legged frog).  Behavior.  Herpetological Review 28:85-86.
  20. Rathbun, G.B.  1998.  San Joaquin antelope squirrels on the Carrizo.  Plain Talk, Newsletter of the Carrizo Plain Natural Area 5(2): 2,5. 
  21. Rathbun, G.B.  1998.  Rana aurora draytonii (California red-legged frog).  Egg predation.  Herpetological Review 29(3):165.
  22. Rathbun, G.B.  1998.  Sea cows - Sirenia.  Pp. 146-151 in  Wild Animals of North America.  National Geographic Society, Washington, DC.
  23. Rathbun, G.B.  1998.  Elephant-shrews – hounded to extinction?  Africa – Environment and Wildlife 6(2):45.
  24. Hatfield, B.B. and G.B. Rathbun.  1999.  Interactions between northern elephant seals and vehicles near Point Piedras Blancas, California.  Marine Mammal Science 15:598-600.
  25. Rathbun, G.B.  1999.  Pitta recollections.  Africa – Birds and Birding 4(3):26.
  26. Rathbun, G.B.  1999.  Sirenia and sea otters sections Pp. 347-353; 390-399 in R. S. Wells, D. Boness, and G.B. Rathbun.  Chapter 8:  Behavior.  Pp. 324-422 in  J.E. Reynolds, III and S.A. Rommel (eds).  Biology of marine mammals.  Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.  578 pp.
  27. Harker, M, G.B. Rathbun, and C.A. Langtimm.  1999.  Beaded-chain collars: a new method to radiotag kangaroo rats for short-term studies.  Wildlife Society Bulletin 27:314-317.
  28. Morales-Vela, B., D. Olivera-Gomez, J.E. Reynolds, III, and G.B. Rathbun.  2000.  Distribution and habitat use by manatees Trichechus manatus manatus in Belize and Chetumal Bay, Mexico.  Biological Conservation 95:67-75.
  29. Rathbun, G.B. and S.N. Kyalo.  2000.  Golden-rumped elephant-shrew.  Pp. 125-129, 340-341 in R.P. Reading and B.J. Miller (eds.).  Endangered animals – A reference guide to conflicting issues.  Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut.  383 pp.
  30. Rathbun, G.B. and R.L. Wallace.  2000.  Florida manatee.  Pp. 107-111, 337-338 in R.P. Reading and B.J. Miller (eds).  Endangered animals—A reference guide to conflicting issues.  Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut.  383 pp.
  31. Rathbun, G.B., B.B. Hatfield and T. G. Murphey.  2000.  Status of translocated sea otters at San Nicolas Island, California.  Southwestern Naturalist 45(3):322-328.
  32. Lefebvre, L.W., M. Marmontel, J. Reid, G.B. Rathbun, and D. Domning.  2001.  Status and biogeography of the West Indian manatee.  Pp. 425-474 in C. Woods and F.E. Sergile (Eds.),  Biogeography of the West Indies: past, present, and future, second edition.  CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.  582 pp.
  33. Germano, D.J., G.B. Rathbun, and L.R. Saslaw.  2001.  Managing exotic grasses and conserving declining species.  Wildlife Society Bulletin 29(2):551-559.
  34. Fellers, G.M., A. Launer, G.B. Rathbun, S. Bobzien, J. Alvarez, D. Sterner, R.B. Seymour, and M. Westphal.  2001.  Overwintering tadpoles in the California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii).  Herpetological Review.
  35. Rathbun, G.B.  2001.  Elephant Shrews.  Pp. 716-721 in D. Macdonald (Ed.), The New Encyclopedia of Mammals.  Oxford University Press, New York.  930 pp.
  36. Jennings, M.R. and G. B. Rathbun.  2001.  Petrodromus tetradactylus.  American Society of Mammalogists, Mammalian Species Account (782):1-6.
  37. Rathbun, G.B. and J. Schneider.  2001.  Translocation of California red-legged frogs (Rana aurora draytonii).  Wildlife Society Bulletin 29(4):1300-1303.
  38. Rathbun, G.B. and P.F. Woodall.  2002.  A bibliography of elephant-shrews or sengis (Macroscelidea).  Mammal Review 32(1):66-70.
  39. Rathbun, G.B., N.J. Scott, Jr., and T.G. Murphey.  2002.  Terrestrial habitat use by Pacific pond turtles in a Mediterranean climate.  Southwestern Naturalist 47(2):225-235.
  40. Rathbun, G.B. and L. Rathbun (eds.).  2002.  Tales from the Cambria Woods - A collection of Essays About Our Forest.  The Cambria Forest Committee, Cambria, California.  51 pp.
  41. Rathbun, G.B. and D. Ribble.  2003.  Does the Golden-rumped Sengi (Rhynchocyon chrysopygus) occur in coastal Tanzania? Afrotherian Conservation – Newsletter of the IUCN-SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group 2:6
  42. Rathbun, G.B.  2004.  The Shadow Hunter.  Africa Geographic Magazine (February 2004) 12(1):18-19.
  43. Rathbun, G.B., T. Cowley, and O. Zapke.  2005.  Black mongoose (Galerella nigrata) home range and social behaviour affected by abundant food at an antelope carcass.  African Zoology 40:154-157.
  44. Rathbun, G.B. and C.D. Rathbun.  2005.  Does the Cape Sengi (Elephantulus edwardii) occur in Namibia?  Afrotherian Conservation – Newsletter of the IUCN-SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group 3:5-6.
  45. Rathbun, G. B. (ed.).  2005.  Order Macroscelidea.  Pp. 22-34 in Skinner, J. D. and C. T. Chimimba.  The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion, third edition.  Cambridge University Press, Cape Town, South Africa.  814 pp.
  46. Rathbun, G. B. and C. D. Rathbun.  2005.  Noki or dassie-rate (Petromus typicus) feeding ecology and petrophily.  Belgian Journal of Zoology 135 (Supplement):69-75.
  47. Rathbun, G. B. and C. D. Rathbun.  2006.  Social structure of the bushveld sengi (Elephantulus intufi) in Namibia and the evolution of monogamy in the Macroscelidea.  Journal of Zoology, London 269(3):391-399.
  48. Rathbun, G. B. and C. D. Rathbun.  2006. Radio-tracking Namib Desert golden moles.  Afrotherian Conservation – Newsletter of the IUCN-SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group 4:5-6
  49. Rathbun, G. B. and C. D. Rathbun.  2006.  Social monogamy in the noki or dassie-rat (Petromus typicus) in Namibia.  Mammalian Biology 71(4):203-213.
  50. Rovero, F. and G. B. Rathbun. 2006. A potentially new giant sengi (elephant-shrew) from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. Journal of East African Natural History 95:111-115.
  51. Rathbun, G. B. and C. D. Rathbun. 2006. Habitat use by radio-tagged Namib Desert golden moles (Eremitalpa granti namibensis). African Journal of Ecology 45:196-201.
  52. Rathbun, G. B. and C. D. Rathbun. 2006. Sheltering, basking, and petrophily in the noki or dassie-rat (Petromus typicus) in Namibia. Mammalia 2006:269-275.
  53. Hayes, M.P., M.R. Jennings and G. B. Rathbun. 2006. Rana draytonii (California Red-legged Frog). Prey. Herpetological Review 37:449.
  54. Rathbun, G. B. and L. B. Lackey. 2007. A brief graphical history of sengis in captivity. Afrotherian Conservation – Newsletter of the IUCN-SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group 5:7-8.
  55. Rovero, F., G. B. Rathbun, A. Perkin, T. Jones, D. O. Ribble, C. Leonard, R. R. Mwakisoma, and N. Doggart. 2008. A new species of giant sengi or elephant-shrew (genus Rhynchocyon) highlights the exceptional biodiversity of the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania. Journal of Zoology 274:126-133.
  56. Rathbun, G. B. and T. E. Cowley. In Press. Behavioural ecology of the black mongoose (Galerella nigrata) in Namibia. Mammalian Biology.
  57. Rathbun, G. B. In press. Rhynchocyon cirnei, R. chrysopygus, R. petersi, and Petrodromus tetradactylus. Pp. XX in Kingdon, J. S., Happold, D. C. D., & Hoffmann, M. (eds.), Mammals of Africa, Vol. 1. Academic Press, Amsterdam.
  58. Kingdon, J., E. R. Seiffert, B. Hedges, and G. Rathbun. In press. Supercohort Afrotheria. Pp. XX in Kingdon, J. S., Happold, D. C. D., & Hoffmann, M. (eds.), Mammals of Africa, Vol. 1. Academic Press, Amsterdam.
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