Michael Roach

Papers

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About

Michael Roach is a wildlife disease ecologist whose research focuses on the environmental transmission of pathogens, particularly sarcoptic mange in bare-nosed wombats. His most-cited work, "Environmental suitability of bare-nosed wombat burrows for Sarcoptes scabiei" (2021, 31 citations), addresses a critical frontier in wildlife health: understanding how pathogens persist in the environment outside their hosts. Roach’s major contribution lies in demonstrating that wombat burrows serve as reservoirs for the mite *Sarcoptes scabiei*, which causes mange—a devastating disease that can lead to blindness, deafness, and death in wombats. By characterizing the microclimatic conditions within burrows that favor mite survival, his work provides actionable insights for disease management and conservation. This research bridges a key gap between host infection and environmental transmission, offering a model for studying indirect pathogen spread in other wildlife systems. Roach’s findings have practical implications for mitigating mange outbreaks, making his work both ecologically significant and directly applicable to wildlife conservation efforts.