Urban Ecology PhD Opportunity
This project offers an unparalleled opportunity to investigate the ecological consequences and management outcomes of free-roaming domestic cats in urban and peri-urban landscapes.
The candidate will be embedded in a large-scale, long-term desexing and education initiative operating in Ipswich, Queensland. This initiative provides an exceptional platform to study ecological dynamics, wildlife responses, and population trends within a living, city-scale experiment in humane, evidence-based cat management.
Research Questions:
* Is the Community Cat Program reducing free-roaming cat abundance and altering spatial population structure over time?
* How does native wildlife richness, abundance, and activity vary with cat density and urban habitat composition?
* How do free-roaming domestic cats use urban green spaces, corridors, and residential zones, and what environmental or anthropogenic factors influence their activity patterns?
* What patterns of temporal and spatial overlap exist between cats and urban wildlife species detected by camera traps?
We Are Seeking Candidates Who:
* Have a background in ecology, wildlife biology, conservation biology, or a closely related discipline
* Are passionate about urban ecology and applied research informing evidence-based wildlife management
* Have strong skills in statistical analysis
* Are experienced in working with camera trap datasets, GIS tools (ArcMap/QGIS), and spatial modelling
* Have excellent written and verbal communication skills
Supervision and Support:
The project will be supervised by Emeritus Professor Jacquie Rand and Dr Kate Dutton-Regester at the University of Queensland, with co-supervision and field support from partner organisations. The project offers exceptional access to long-term datasets, field infrastructure, and collaboration with national and international experts in urban ecology, wildlife monitoring, and animal management.