Hi Mark
What inspired me - to be honest I cannot remember not being interested in animals/wildlife. It is more like who inspired me ? - four people:- Desmond Morris, Johnny Morris, Gerald Durrell and Sir David Attenborough (Zoo quests etc) and as I grew up I added Alfred Russell Wallace to that list.
I remember had a 'Why and Wonder' book of reptiles that had a picture of a gaboon viper and a gila monster on the front and to this day these are two species that makes me tingle.
As I said I am a lifelong naturalist and interested in wildlife and habitats in UK and all over world. I am now lucky enough to pursue it as a career. When I was 18 mum told me to get a proper job ! so I went to work for the Health Service then Social Service and finally Probation Service - all the time taking time off to carry out surveys. Then in 1998 it all changed I left work went back to college and the rest as they say is history.
As a professional ecologist I have worked for small companies and large multidisciplinary organisations I now work for myself I am a part time lecturer in Ecology/Survey Techniques ID etc at a local college and also carry out professional ecological services - I also carry out my own research into adders and amphibians.
My professional aim is to provide pragmatic ecological advice, my personal aims is to carry on learning about the natural world every day I learn something new (Today I found out from field researchers at Fauna and Flora International that mountain gorillas 'sing' when they are happy ! love it)
The Future: I will keep watching wildlife both in the UK and abroad, one day I would like to write a scientific paper about adders or amphibians
In 2011 we went to Uganda on a family holiday and whilst we were there in Eastern Uganda I found a frog that had never been recorded in Uganda (West African Rubber Frog Phrynomantis microps) It has only been recorded twice in East Africa my record photo etc and a written account from Ethiopia. We are hoping to return next year for further exploration of the amphibians you never know what I might find - I personally think it is an area where little or no study has taken place so it is most likely under recording of species rather than new species but !!!
Like most naturalists I would love to find a new species - and I think that is what keeps us all looking !
I am fascinated by a mystery and that is why cryptozoology interests me
I hope this is what you are looking for
My very best regards
David
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David J. Pollard
Principal Ecologist and Specialist Ornithologist/Herpetologist
Corvus Ecology Consulting
01524 761822
07449458612
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