Wind farms birds bats BAM plan impact mortality studies

Emma is investigating how we evaluate the effectiveness of conservation detection dogs in the search for rare species.  Emma's industry experience, coupled with her strong scientific principles makes her an ideal candidate for this project.  Emma is working with Dr Joslin Moore from Monash University and Dr Cindy Hauser from the University of Melbourne.  You can check out some of her work here and watch the video below.

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Publication:

Evaluating conservation dogs in the search for rare species (2019)

Bennett, Hauser & Moore

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The ACDN is a newly formed industry group aimed at promoting the positive use of dogs as a tool in conservation efforts. Emma is the inaugural president of the organisation which is supported by Zoos Victoria and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

In 2012 Emma and a team of collaborators hosted the first Wind and Wildlife Conference in the southern hemisphere.  In 2014 proceedings from this conference were published and a follow up conference was held in New Zealand.  Emma continues to push new research and understanding of wind and wildlife interactions.

Emma is investigating how different carcasses persist before being removed by scavenging animals.  A preliminary trial was conducted by Emma in 2011 which showed chickens and mice did not make good proxies for native birds.  Emma is currently undertaking a trial to look at scavenging and birds of prey and how behaviour and rates of removal may change with different species.