Michele Thums

Michele Thums is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, with extensive expertise in marine megafauna ecology. Her research primarily focuses on whale shark movement ecology, marine megafauna conservation, and the impacts of climate change on ocean species. With an h-index of 32 and over 4,128 citations, she is recognized as a leading researcher in her field, contributing significantly to global marine conservation efforts.

Dr. Thums' research interests center on marine megafauna spatial ecology, with particular emphasis on whale sharks, pygmy blue whales, and other large marine species. Her work integrates satellite tracking, bio-logging technologies, and spatial analysis to understand movement patterns, habitat connectivity, and responses to environmental change. She investigates how natural and artificial structures influence marine megafauna behavior, and how climate change drives redistribution of ocean giants, creating new conservation challenges.

Her recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward interdisciplinary marine conservation science, with studies appearing in high-impact journals like Science and Nature Climate Change. This research combines movement ecology with conservation policy, addressing critical issues such as shipping threats to marine megafauna and sustainable development of offshore renewable energy. Her work increasingly incorporates large-scale collaborative approaches to tackle global marine conservation challenges.

• 78 total research outputs including articles, reviews, and reports
• 8 datasets documenting marine megafauna movements and environmental interactions
• 2 completed research grants focused on whale shark tracking and acoustic modeling
• Supervised 3 research students/projects

Dr. Thums maintains extensive collaborative networks across marine science institutions globally, with particular strength in Australian marine research. Her work contributes significantly to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to life below water and climate action. Current research focuses on integrating movement ecology data with conservation planning to develop effective marine protected areas and mitigate anthropogenic threats to vulnerable marine species.