Natasha Harrison

Natasha Harrison is a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) student and Adjunct Research Fellow at the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia (UWA). Her research focuses on integrating population and behavioral ecology to understand how individual, social, and environmental factors influence demographic processes in threatened species. She has contributed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in areas related to conservation and biodiversity.

Education:

• Quantitative Environmental Sciences, MSc, University of Zurich (2019–2020)
• Zoology and Conservation Biology, BSc, The University of Western Australia (2013–2016)

Research Interests:

• Population and behavioral ecology
• Predator-prey dynamics and anti-predator behavior
• Conservation strategies for endangered mammals
• Impact of environmental factors on population demographics
• Ecological and evolutionary responses to human interventions

She emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining laboratory analyses (e.g., glucocorticoid and metabolite studies) with field observations to address ecological challenges.

Grants and Projects:

• Principal Investigator for 'Robust measures of antipredator behaviour in Australia’s critical weight range mammals' (Ecological Society of Australia, 2021–2024)
• Investigator on a Hermon Slade Foundation project (2021–2024)
• Key contributor to establishing Perup Sanctuary for woylies and monitoring feral cats in the Pilbara region

Her work bridges academic research with practical conservation solutions, such as sanctuary design and predator management techniques.

Labs/Teams: Active in conservation research teams at UWA, collaborating on anti-predator behavior studies and systematic reviews. Her datasets explore behavioral assays and predator cues in mammals, contributing to open-access resources for ecological research.