Team

Richard Reina Professor and Research Group Leader

My research focuses on understanding how animals respond to challenges from their environments and from human activity and then using this knowledge to inform better conservation and management.

David AdamsPhD candidate

David’s PhD research aims to increase our understanding of embryonic developmental patterns in reptiles, with a focus on increasing sea turtle reproductive success.

Abigail ParkerPhD candidate

Abi’s PhD research is investigating factors affecting reproductive success in turtles. Abi is conducting research on PFAS exposure in Victorian freshwater turtles and its impacts on their reproductive success, and will also go on to investigate PFAS exposure in sea turtles.

Natarsha BabicPhD candidate

Natarsha’s PhD research aims to investigate the influence of habitat quality and differential hunting regimes on Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos) ecophysiology in the Dinaric Mountains.

Adam Yaney-KellerPhD candidate

Adam’s PhD aims to explore how plastic entanglement impacts marine predator populations by studying the effects of entanglement on the health and development Australian fur seals. As part of this, he also hopes to utilize a combination of multispectral and traditional imagery techniques to better quantify rates of entanglement in Australian fur seal populations.

Julia Braga MoraisPhD candidate

Julia’s PhD project will investigate how changes in the environment influence the foraging and breeding performance of little penguins in the urban colony of St Kilda. This study will focus on their spatial distribution, foraging performance, dietary diversity, diving behaviour and reproductive outcome.

Eleanor MooreHonours Student

My honours research is investigating the effects of marine heatwaves on little penguins, using changes in diet to explore a link between these environmental anomalies and their effects on a top predator. Associate Professor Andre Chiaradia of Phillip Island Nature Parks is co-supervising this project at the mega-colony on Phillip Island.