My research interests in wildlife ecology and management date back to my three years research assistant position in University of Castilla La Mancha in 2002. After eight months of a highly motivating project that fascinated me, I realized that I was really interested in completing a PhD thesis. After having been granted with a scholarship in the Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), I had the funds to carry out my PhD which focussed on the improvement of habitat management to favour establishment of translocated wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) populations (key prey for endangered large predators such as the Iberian imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti)). During this period I received broad training in population monitoring techniques as radiotracking, walking transects, spotlight censes, and animal trapping and handling. I gained valuable knowledge in the improvement of habitat management measures, an important component of wildlife population management (Figure 1). As a result of my PhD work, I have published seven scientific articles (SCI listed) in addition to three articles in the popular press and three book chapters. Since then I have conducted wildlife management, ecology and epidemiology projects through two postdoctoral positions and collaborations with national and international colleagues.

After my PhD, since I wanted to expand and diversify my expertise in wildlife management, I was successfully granted competitive post-doctoral funding for two years in one of the most important research institutes in Spain in the area of Natural Resources, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC. This grant was funded by Junta de Comunidades de Castilla La Mancha and European social Fund. During my first postdoctoral position at Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, I had the opportunity to improved my expertise in wildlife management, parasitism and diseases (Fig 1), while coordinating a team of two field technicians and co-supervising a PhD student, through an investigation of the interactions of parasitism, population dynamics and body condition on wild rabbit myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease epidemiological status, in order to improve health in rabbit translocation programs. This was my first opportunity to coordinate a research group, with the support of CSIC investigation researcher Dr Sacramento Moreno. During this stage of my career I gained valuable experience in managing a research group, designing and coordinating field work for ecological research projects, and report writing, in addition to expanding my network of collaborators. My research at EBD resulted in the publication of six scientific articles (SCI listed), three final project reports and one article in the popular press.

My second postdoctoral position at Landcare Research (New Zealand) has been the most rewarding stage of my research carrier. I wanted to extend my training in the ecology and management of vertebrate pest species and I managed to obtain a competitive grant funded by Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha for five months to work in a pilot project aimed at understanding the ecology of the invasive Australian brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula; a key invasive pest species in New Zealand) in dryland ecosystems. After this initial 5-month period I continued working on similar issues at Landcare Research with another postdoctoral position funded by the Royal Society of New Zealand and TBFree New Zealand. I was directly responsible for coordinating and conducting the fieldwork component in two large projects involving the Australian brushtail possum. Overall, during the last five years, my research has focused on protecting native ecosystems and primary industry through improved understanding of pest responses to management, and the role of pests as disease carriers (bovine tuberculosis). This understanding has been used to provide new and improved management strategies, tools and techniques - ranging from biological control to traps and toxins. In particular, I have been responsible for the co-design, organisation and execution of complex field experiments with wild vertebrates (the brushtail possum) in two large multi-year projects. The first involved the infection of individuals with, and the subsequent monitoring through subpopulations of, bovine tuberculosis in relation to characterised social networks and other potential determinants of transmission. The second involved the assessment of home range changes in response to population density reduction, and its implications for subsequent population and bovine tuberculosis management. Through these projects I have gain and improved many skills including (1) the trapping and handling of wild animals, (2) the use of GPS, VHF and proximity logging tracking devices, (3) conducting experimental challenges with tuberculosis and necropsies of euthanized animals, (4) working in isolated and often harsh environments for long periods of time, (5) obtaining permits for, and conforming to, both the health and safety and ethical requirements of the work, and (6) coordinating field teams of 4-8 technical staff and students. In addition, for both projects, I have been primarily responsible (prior to the fieldwork) for liaising with stakeholders and obtaining land-owner permission, and (subsequent to the fieldwork) I have gained and improved statistical analysis skills through learning new analytical methods (spatial analysis, capture-mark-recapture etc.), in addition to producing first drafts of reports and journal manuscripts. Also, in relation to this work, I supervised the fieldwork component of a PhD student, presented results at national and international conferences and stakeholder workshops, and liaised with the media. During the New Zealand stage of my career I managed to publish 16 scientific articles (SCI listed, nine articles directly from my work and seven as a result of my national and international collaborations), in addition to five layperson articles in peer reviewed journals, three articles in the popular press, and several reports.

After having been trained as a researcher and specialist in the ecology of terrestrial vertebrate species during my PhD and first postdoctoral position, and a specialist in the ecology of terrestrial vertebrate pest species during 5 years abroad, I have gained valuable experience in fieldwork, monitoring techniques, disease diagnosis and laboratory and analytic skills. Scientific studies aimed to solve the problems associated with wildlife (e.g. pest species) require a multidisciplinary approach that combines assessment of damage, impacts and ecological analysis. Unfortunately in Europe we have little experience in this type of multidisciplinary approaches; however, such approaches are common in New Zealand. Hence, based on my experience, I have recently been granted a highly competitive project as a Talent Hub-Marie Curie fellow for two years in the University of Córdoba. Within this project, I will be working on vertebrate pest conflicts. Reducing problems caused by vertebrate pest requires a careful consideration of (1) the biology and population dynamics of the pest species; (2) the ecology of the species within its physical and biotic environment; and (3) an understanding of the relationships of the pest species to the activities of humans, including land uses, management practices, and other human activities, including socio-economic issues. It is only when we have an adequate background in these three areas, that we can develop effective strategies for pest population and damage management, what is known as an “integrated pest management” programme (IPM) (Figure 1).