Dr Gaia Mortier

Gaia Mortier is a postdoctoral researcher experienced in parasitology, stable isotope ecology, and collections-based natural history. Using natural history specimens of threatened or extinct animals, she aims to reconstruct past ecosystem interactions to re-examine historical narratives and inform future conservation efforts. She has multiple ongoing projects involving recently extinct animals, including quaggas and thylacines, better known as ‘Tasmanian tigers’. 

Gaia studied Multimedia and Communication Design in The Netherlands before moving on to the subjects of Zoology and Entomology at Reading, which eventually led to a PhD in Environmental Science. Her PhD focused on using biochemical analyses to explore complex ecological host-parasite relationships and reconstruct past host lives. Here, she applied stable isotope and molecular analyses to parasites in order to gain an in-depth overview of past host diet, geographic origin, population structure, and health. 

Due to her rather unique combination of backgrounds, Gaia’s interests span across a wide range of subjects, including the portrayal of uncharismatic arthropods in popular media and how this could potentially affect conservation efforts (as well as the history of flea circuses).