The Big Bird Race is the idea of the Conservation Foundation's Tim Nevard, who is its Project Director and official Race Steward. Ladbrokes.com has provided the funding to turn Tim's idea' into reality.

Scientists from the Nature and Conservation Branch of the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (DPIWE), led by Rosemary Gales, with support from Research Assistant Rachael Alderman and additional advice from zoologist David Pemberton of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG), will be responsible for conducting the research into the TSAs' movements and producing a report on their migratory patterns and the problems they faced from longline fishing.

The TSAs are the only albatross species to breed in Australia outside the sub-Antarctic region and therefore have unique proximity and accessibility for researchers. However, the dangers TSAs face in their migration path is indicative of the albatross population as a whole and will give an accurate reflection of what is happening to other seabirds.

By identifying where the birds fly and where the biggest threat from longlining is, pressure can be applied to reduce hazards in those areas.

Race Steward

Tim is based in Queensland, Australia and is a professional conservationist. Amongst his latest initiatives is the Big Bird Race: He has been working to promote sustainable development and business practices for over 20 years and works with his partner, Professor David Bellamy OBE, in the business alliance GHD Bellamy & Nevard (www.ghd.com.au) which provides advice in relation to sustainable development on an international basis to a wide variety of clients, including businesses, governments and non-government organisations.

From 1995, Tim has also committed himself to developing a not for profit nature conservation and sustainable tourism initiative, the Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetland Reserve: www.mareebawetlands.com. He was awarded the Order of Australia for his service to nature conservation in the 2003 New Year Honours List.

Research team leader and trainer of Albatross island runners

Rosemary Gales holds a Ph.D. in Zoology and has worked on a range of species of marine birds and mammals, including seals, penguins and albatrosses. Her research into the biology and foraging ecology of these species has been directed towards an understanding of their role in the marine environment and their interactions with fisheries and fishing operations.

Recently she has coordinated global reviews of the status of albatrosses and examined the nature and extent of seabird mortality associated with longline fisheries. After working in remote sub-Antarctic regions, as well as New Zealand and Newfoundland, she now lives in Tasmania where she is the Senior Marine Biologist in the Nature Conservation Branch,

DPIWE. Rosemary currently supervises albatross research focussing on the Shy Albatrosses, as well as the four species breeding on Macquarie Island.

Research team advisor and trainer of Pedra Branca runners

David Pemberton has worked as a biologist in a number of countries, focusing on predators, both on land and at sea. After studying hyaena in South Africa, David emigrated to Australia to study the ecology of the Tasmanian Devil. His interest in Tasmanian fauna diversified with his involvement in seabird conservation programs, during which he travelled to Macquarie and Heard Islands, as well as the Antarctic continent.

David has been involved in fisheries and marine bird and mammal interactions for several decades undertaking trips on longline and trawler vessels off the coasts of South Africa, Australia and Newfoundland. David is currently the
Senior Curator of Vertebrates at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in Hobart. Apart from marine birds and mammals, his current interests and activities include species as diverse as the Thylacine, Tasmanian Devils and Giant Squid

Research Assistant and trainer of Mewstone runners

Currently employed with the Nature Conservation Branch examining the population biology and foraging ecology of Shy albatrosses in Tasmania, funded by a grant from Ladbrokes.com. Rachael is also involved in research examining the nature of seabird bycatch associated with longline fishing around Australia.

Rachael has extensive field experience working on sub Antarctic Macquarie Island where she has spent three seasons working on albatross and giant petrels, as well as fur seals. In 2003 Rachael was awarded a first class honours degree for her thesis examining patterns of genetic diversity among albatross species and populations. In addition to her work on seabirds and seals, Rachael has been involved in
a variety of tropical research and conservation projects including marine and freshwater turtles in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Thanks are also due to many other individuals and organisations not directly involved with Ladbrokes or the Conservation Foundation, for making the Big Bird Race a reality. These include: Professor David Bellamy OBE - for his unflagging enthusiasm, Wade Fairley - a world-class cameraman and naturalist; Aleks Terauds - the man behind the scenes, from DPIWE; Mike Rands - the ever supportive director of BirdLife International; the Tasmanian Marine Police - for all their help with transport to and from the islands, under the most difficult of weather conditions; Warwick Brennan - the media man from DPIWE; Mike Double - from the Australian National University, for DNA analysis of the runners; Gwyneth Nevard - for pulling the first scribbled-on fag packet out of the bin; the Australian Antarctic Division and the British Antarctic Survey - for their fantastic support; and many, many others from helicopter pilots to charter boat skippers!