Farquhar Stirling, BSc (University of Edinburgh), is a retired polling specialist who worked for the BBC World Service in audience research before moving to Southeast Asia. One of his interests is applying survey research methods to conservation issues. He has surveyed the hunting practices of hunter-gatherers in the Mentawai islands of Indonesia to aid the conservation of four endemic and endangered primates. Stirling is also conducting household survey research in Indonesia’s major cities to estimate numbers and species of caged song birds, in an effort to control the illegal bird trade. Farquhar is a long-time board member of Indonesia’s largest wild bird conservation organization, and also volunteers for Indonesia’s Friends of the National Parks Foundation. He lives in Bali, and feels most alive while walking in nature.
