Joint Conservation Biologist        

Tahneal is a joint researcher at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Taronga Conservation Society.  Tahneal completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) at UNSW and gained experience working with a variety of native Australian mammals and reptiles. She completed her PhD in 2020, focused on assessing the impacts of river regulation on platypus population dynamics and movement behaviours.  She now has 8 years of experience monitoring wild platypus populations across the species range, including capturing and implementing in-field anaesthesia for sample collection on more than 450 wild platypuses. Her work is focused on improving conservation outcomes for the species through scientific research, improving management practices, and through outreach and education. 

Tahneal joined Taronga in 2024 as a research conservation biologist for a collaborative platypus project between Taronga Conservation Society, UNSW, and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The project aims to improve the resilience of platypus populations through ecological, genetic, and reproductive advances. 

Publication: Hawke et al. 2024 – Rescue and return: Translocating a semi-wild platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) population during the 2019 drought 

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you ended up at Taronga.  

I’m a joint Conservation Biologist at Taronga and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney with my work focused on platypus research for the past nine years. During my bachelor’s degree I found a passion for Australian native wildlife and conservation. I went on to complete my PhD in Biological Science, focusing on assessing the impacts of river regulation on platypus population dynamics and movement behaviours.  

Since then, I’ve continued with platypus research focused on improving conservation outcomes for the species. I joined Taronga in 2024 as part of a new collaborative project between Taronga, UNSW, and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, with the aims of improving the resilience of platypus populations through ecological, genetic, and reproductive advances.

What’s a project you’re currently working on and how is it contributing to conservation? 

I’m leading a new wild platypus monitoring project in the Macquarie River catchment, aiming to understand how platypuses interact with their environment and respond to threats.  

Through mark-recapture surveys (a technique used to estimate the size of a population where it is impractical to count every individual) health and genetic assessments, and movement tracking, we’re investigating how variation in habitat quality and condition influences their population dynamics. This research plays a key role in conservation efforts by identifying early warning signs of poor resource availability and tolerance thresholds, and critical knowledge as climatic conditions continue to shift. 

Have you always had an interest in science? 

I’ve always loved animals and nature, but my interest in science really began in high school, where chemistry, biology, and geography became my favourite subjects. This led me to pursue a science degree, and it was during my studies that I found my passion for conservation science. 

If you’ve ever faced uncertainty about whether you belonged in science, how did you deal with that? 

I’ve always known that science was the right path for me, but I’ve struggled at times with feeling like I belong in science and academia. Coming from a non-academic background, I found the first few years of my PhD and academia intimidating and have continued to struggle with imposter syndrome. I deal with this by trying to focus on my achievements, the impact I’ve had in my field, and how my work has inspired others. Also, never underestimate the power of a bit of shared collegial banter about fieldwork/academic mishaps – a lifesaver!