About the event

In this webinar, Dr Ben Pitcher will share insights from Taronga Conservation Society’s conservation breeding program which has released more than 400 birds to the wild. Specifically focusing on the The critically endangered Regent Honeyeater is on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 250 individuals remaining in the wild.

The program combines husbandry, science and key partnerships with government, NGOs, universities and community to bolster wild populations of this iconic Australian songbird. Recent challenges in the program include addressing the loss of song culture in the species, and the impacts of nest predation limiting recruitment.

Current research efforts are aiming to teach zoo-bred birds how to sing to conserve critical behavioural diversity, as well as developing novel techniques to deter predators from nests. This session aims to offer insights into the planning and adaptive management of one of Australia’s most urgent conservation efforts.

This event will run off Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) and will run for 1 hour. The webinar will be recorded and a link to the webinar will be sent to all registered attendees in the days after the webinar.

Meet the speaker

Dr Ben Pitcher

Dr Ben Pitcher is a wildlife conservation scientist and behavioural ecologist at Taronga Conservation Society and Macquarie University. At Taronga he leads the Conservation Behaviour Lab which conducts research into a range of species, including both mammals and birds in marine and terrestrial environments. Many of the Lab’s projects support Taronga’s recovery programs, such as the Regent Honeyeater. Ben works closely with government agencies, community groups, and academic partners to translate science into meaningful conservation action. His work is grounded in a fascination for understanding how animals experience their environments and a deep commitment to biodiversity.

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