About
I am a PhD candidate at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) within the Marine and Terrestrial Megafauna Cluster, researching the distribution, ecology, and conservation status of walking (epaulette) sharks endemic to Papua New Guinea.
My research focuses on Dudgeon's walking shark (Hemiscyllium dudgeonae), Michael's walking shark (Hemiscyllium michaeli) and the Papuan walking shark (Hemiscyllium hallstromi) in eastern Papua New Guinea, with key work on species distributions and taxonomy in Milne Bay, population genetics of H. michaeli across its range, photo-identification for population monitoring, and reproductive hormone trends.
Outputs from this research are contributing to IUCN Red List assessments and the delineation of Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs).