Your work revolves around bat ecology across NSW, Victoria, and soon Tasmania. What inspired you to specialise in bat ecology, and what do you find most fascinating about bats?

In third year university we had a field trip to learn mammal survey techniques. I remember walking through the bush at night, thinking how peaceful and quiet and still it was, then turning on a bat detector for the first time and being amazed to discover that there was actually a frenzy of activity around us in the form of insect-eating microbats that we couldn’t see or hear! Microbats call at ultrasonic frequencies that humans mostly can’t hear so they often go unnoticed, but are really important to our ecosystems because they eat a LOT of insects, including agricultural pests and mozzies! They’re pretty tricky to study so there is still a lot we don’t know about them, but I think the challenge is part of the reason I enjoy working on them as there’s always something new to learn.

Much of your work focuses on wind farms and potential impacts to bats, what are some of the unique challenges that bats present and how do you overcome them?

Bats present a lot of challenges for impact assessments! For birds we can go out and do surveys where we can identify the species by sight, count the number of individuals, and estimate the height and direction of their flight. We can even use this data to make models that predict collision risk. Whereas for bats, we can’t see them, we can’t count them, and often we can’t even identify them!

Our best option for studying bats is generally to put out special bat detectors, which record the ultrasonic sounds bats make. Different species have different call ‘signatures’, so when we look at the calls on the computer, it can help us to work out what species are present at a site. This comes with its own set of limitations though, because some bat species have such similar calls you can’t tell them apart!

Bat detectors also generate huge volumes (terabytes) of data when left in the field for often weeks at a time, which can be really time consuming to process and analyse. A large part of my role at Biosis has been developing systems and processes around dealing with bat surveys and the large data sets they generate. We now have consistent processes in place for designing bat surveys and collecting data, as well as labelling, storing, processing, analysing and reporting on that data. This better helps our clients to meet regulatory requirements, minimises project delays, and improves regulator confidence in our results.

What differences do you notice working in Tasmania compared to NSW and Victoria, and what unique challenges or opportunities do you anticipate?

Tasmania does not have any microbats currently listed as threatened, whereas NSW and Victoria have multiple threatened species between them, some of which are already known to be impacted by existing windfarms through collisions with turbines. Tasmania does have quite a few threatened birds though and like bats, some of these are really difficult to study! Orange-bellied Parrot and Swift Parrot for example, present a real challenge due to their long-distance migrations and declining populations. New technology is really leading the way in broadening our understanding of these, and other threatened species. Tracking device technology has improved so much that there is amazing data coming through on the movement patterns of different species, from tiny 20 gram microbats to large Wedge-tailed Eagle. This data will really help inform impact assessments for future wind projects in all states.

Mitigation technologies are also really progressing in Tasmania, such as combining cameras and artificial intelligence to turn off turbines when an eagle is flying nearby to prevent collisions. Transitioning to renewable energy is vital in combating climate change, and these technological advances present huge opportunities for renewable energy operators to minimise impacts to biodiversity during this transition.

How does completing the eagle habitat identification and management course in Tasmania benefit your work, and why was it important for your role?

Wedge-tailed Eagle and White-bellied Sea-eagle are threatened species in Tasmania and unfortunately are also known to collide with operational wind farms. Detailed knowledge of the biology of these species in Tasmania, the planning tools available to identify risks, and how to search and monitor nests is really important in understanding risks to these species. Completing the course means I am accredited in the identification and design of eagle nest search areas, conducting field searches for nests and conducting activity status checks of nests during the eagle breeding season. All of this is important in assessing impact risk to eagles in both Tasmania and mainland states from a variety of project types, but is particularly applicable to our work on wind farms.

For those considering a career in zoology what advice would you offer, and what do you think are the most valuable skills for success in this field?

My best advice is to gain as much field experience as you can! There are always universities looking for volunteers, not-for-profits, or local field naturalist groups you can join to learn from experienced ecologists and you never know where it may take you. For me, volunteering in the Simpson Desert on a collaborative project between Sydney University and Bush Heritage led to an interest in arid ecology, which eventually led me to an honours project in the Victorian Mallee working on bats. I found doing an honours year really valuable in gaining project management skills and connecting with peers, researchers and mentors. I was lucky that the skills I learnt were also exactly what I needed for the work I do now! I am also really grateful for the wonderful mentors and role-models I have learnt from, and continue to learn from, so I think surrounding yourself with great teachers also sets you up for success.