Full details on FindaPhD:
https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/behaviour-and-welfare-of-hong-kong-s-free-ranging-feral-bovids-cattle-and-water-buffalo/?p159938
Hong Kong is typically known for its vibrant cityscape; however,
approximately 75% of its land area consists of country parks, and it is
home to populations of feral cattle and water buffalo. Bovids are hugely
important livestock globally (approx 208 million
buffalo, and approx 1 billion cattle), but our understanding of their
behaviour, health and welfare is primarily driven by research conducted
in farm environments. Hong Kong’s feral bovids present a unique
opportunity to observe their social structure, behaviour
and health under free-ranging conditions. Once used as draught animals
but released after the decline of agricultural activity in the 1970’s,
Hong Kong bovids continue to live and reproduce in the country parks. We
have been investigating aspects of their
behaviour, health and welfare with our current team of PhD and
postdoctoral researchers. This project offers the opportunity for the
successful candidate to further explore an area that they find
particularly interesting within the broader topic. Ideas will
be further developed with the project supervisors.
Feral water buffalo project website:
https://www.hkbuffaloresearch.org/
Feral cattle project website:
https://hkcattleresearch.org/
Interested applicants are invited to submit a cover letter outlining
their interests and some potential research ideas, as well as a short,
2-page CV, via email to both Profs. McElligott and Flay (together in one
email) on or before October 1, 2025.
Best regards,
Alan
Related papers:
Bhattacharjee D, Flay KJ, McElligott AG. (2024). Personality homophily
drives female friendships in a feral ungulate. iScience 27, 111419
Bhattacharjee D, Flay KJ, Mumby HS, McElligott AG (2025). Adaptive
behavioural strategies to seasonal challenges by a semi-urban feral
ungulate. BioRxiv DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.12.642745
Bukhari SSUH, Parkes RSV, Sneddon LU, McElligott AG. (2024). The
behavior and welfare of neglected species: specific examples from fish
and mammals. PEERJ 12, e17149.
Hodgson GMW, Flay KJ, Perroux TA, Chan WY, McElligott AG. 2024. Sex and
dominance status affect allogrooming in free-ranging feral cattle.
Animal Behaviour 210, 275-287.
Hodgson GMW, Flay KJ, Perroux TA, McElligott AG. 2024. You Lick Me, I
Like You: Understanding the function of allogrooming in ungulates.
Mammal Review 54, 373-386.
Hodgson GMW, Flay KJ, Perroux TA, McElligott AG. 2025. Fighting and
friendship: sociodemographic factors and provisioning affect feral
cattle behaviour. Animal Behaviour 225, 123210.
Hodgson GMW, Flay KJ, Perroux TA, McElligott AG. 2025. Strategic
third-party interventions in feral ungulate affiliation. Proceedings of
the Royal Society B 292, 20251086.
Perroux TA, Lie SSY, Hill FI, McElligott AG, Hodgson GMW, Wong WWS, Flay
KJ. 2025. Epidemiology and risk factors for endoparasite infection in
subtropical feral cattle in Hong Kong. International Journal for
Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 27, 101082.
So KYK, Dudgeon D. 2020. Conservation management of abandoned paddy
fields in Asia: Semi‐natural marshes with low‐intensity bovid grazing
have higher biodiversity. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater
Ecosystems 30, 1934-1944.
Yang D, Bhattacharjee D, Flay KJ, Wang Y, Mumby HS, McElligott AG. 2025.
Public attitudes and values regarding a semi-urban feral ungulate.
People and Nature https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70082