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Phil Seddon 2020 imageEmail philip.seddon@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 7029

Teaching


Research Interests

Assoc. Prof. Phil Seddon with a Fox on his head

  • Restoration of threatened species
  • Ecology of mammalian pest species
  • Seabird, specifically penguin, ecology
  • Assessment of the impacts of nature-based tourism
  • Reintroduction Biology, including Assisted Colonisation and other Conservation Introductions
  • De-extinction: implications for conservation

Projects

  • Strategic planning for wildlife reintroductions in collaboration with the IUCN Conservation Translocation Specialist Group. See here for a Policy Statement on Assisted Colonization
  • De-extinction: the pros and cons of creating versions (functional proxies) of extinct species for conservation benefit; download the IUCN Guiding Principles on De-extinction
  • Application of remote sensing, GIS and GPS technology to quantify spatial ecology at all scales
  • Spatial ecology of mammalian pests in NZ alpine regions, as part of the Te Manuhuna Aoaraki Project, in collaboration with Yolanda van Heezik
  • Conservation Management of native species (current/recent collaborative and student projects include work on takahe, with Glen Greaves and Andrew Digby (DOC), black stilt (kaki), with Richard Maloney and Simone Clelland (DOC), yellow-eyed penguins, Fiordland penguins (tawaki) with Thomas Mattern (NZ Penguin Initiative), and Adelie penguins, with Matt Scofield (Maths & Stats) and Dean Anderson (Manaaki Whenua)
  • Assessment, mitigation and management of human/tourism influences on seabirds.

Other Roles

Current and Recent Postgraduate Students

Black-fronted Tern, threatened by introduced predators

  • Jamie McAulay (MSc): Diet of stoats in the New Zealand alpine zone
  • Melanie Young (PhD): Foraging ecology of Yellow-eyed Penguins
  • James Hunter (PhD): Modeling post-release performance of reintroduced Takahe
  • Rachel Hickcox (PhD): Macro-ecology of yellow-eyed penguins
  • Saif Khan (PhD): Remote sensing applications in braided rivers
  • Nick Foster (PhD): Altitudinal distribution of mammalian pest species
  • Taylor Hamlin (PhD): Spatial ecology of Adelie penguins
  • Asher Soryl (PhD): Animal welfare biology
  • Charlotte Patterson (MSc): Predicting reinvasion pathways for urban possums
  • Scott Forrest (MSc): Spatial ecology of urban kaka
  • Myrene Otis (MSc): Foraging ecology of tawaki/Fiordland penguins
  • Thor Elley (MSc): Foraging ecology of yellow-eyed penguins on Rakiura
  • Peter Doyle (MSc): Spatial ecology of Norway rats
  • Hayley Lister (MSc): Resource selection by Norway rats in dryland ecosystems
  • Abby Clarke (MSc): Efficacy of probiotics for yellow-eyed penguins
  • Lena McNaughton (MSc): Invertebrate diversity across and urban gradient

Publications

Davis, R. A., Seddon, P. J., Craig, M. D., & Russell, J. C. (2023). A review of methods for detecting rats at low densities, with implications for surveillance. Biological Invasions. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s10530-023-03133-0
Journal - Research Other
Hickcox, R. P., Mattern, T., Young, M. J., Rodríguez-Recio, M., van Heezik, Y., & Seddon, P. J. (2023). Risks, resources, and refugia: Spatial overlap between yellow-eyed penguin foraging distribution and prey, commercial fisheries, and marine protected areas. Biological Conservation, 284, 110197. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110197
Journal - Research Article
Seddon, P. J. (2023). The role of conservation translocations in rewilding and de-extinction. In M. J. Gaywood, J. G. Ewen, P. M. Hollingsworth & A. Moehrenschlager (Eds.), Conservation translocations. (pp. 354-377). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/9781108638142.016
Chapter in Book - Research
van Heezik, Y., Barratt, B. I. P., Burns, B. R., Clarkson, B. D., Cutting, B. T., Ewans, R., Freeman, C., … Seddon, P. J. (2023). A rapid assessment technique for evaluating biodiversity to support accreditation of residential properties. Landscape & Urban Planning, 232, 104682. doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104682
Journal - Research Article
Bourke, S. D., Brown, L., Seddon, P. J., & van Heezik, Y. (2023). Determinants of hatching and recruitment success for captively reared kakī (Himantopus novaezelandiae). New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 47(1), 3508. doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.47.3508
Journal - Research Article
Armstrong, D. P., Hayward, M. W., Moro, D., & Seddon, P. J. (Eds.). (2015). Advances in reintroduction biology of Australian and New Zealand fauna. Clayton, Australia: CSIRO, 320p.
Edited Book - Research
Ewen, J. G., Armstrong, D. P., Parker, K. A., & Seddon, P. J. (Eds.). (2012). Reintroduction biology: Integrating science and management. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 499p. doi: 10.1002/9781444355833
Edited Book - Research
Soorae, P., & Seddon, P. J. (Eds.). (2000). Re-introduction news: Special bird issue. No 19. IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group, 55p.
Edited Book - Research
Soorae, P. S., & Seddon, P. J. (Eds.). (1998). International directory of re-introduction projects. Kenya: IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group & NCWCD, 97p.
Edited Book - Research
Seddon, P. J. (2023). The role of conservation translocations in rewilding and de-extinction. In M. J. Gaywood, J. G. Ewen, P. M. Hollingsworth & A. Moehrenschlager (Eds.), Conservation translocations. (pp. 354-377). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/9781108638142.016
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., & Michaux, B. (2022). Yellow-eyed penguin | Hoiho. In C. M. Miskelly (Ed.), New Zealand birds online. Wellington, New Zealand: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa). Retrieved from https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz
Chapter in Book - Research
Fox, S., & Seddon, P. J. (2019). Wild devil recovery: Managing devils in the presence of disease. In C. J. Hogg, S. Fox, D. Pemberton & K. Belov (Eds.), Saving the Tasmanian devil: Recovery through science-based management. (pp. 157-163). Clayton South, Australia: CSIRO. doi: 10.1071/9781486307197
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., & Armstrong, D. P. (2019). The role of translocation in rewilding. In N. Pettorelli, S. M. Durant & J. T. du Toit (Eds.), Rewilding. (pp. 303-324). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/9781108560962.015
Chapter in Book - Research
Armstrong, D. P., Seddon, P. J., & Moehrenschlager, A. (2018). Reintroduction. In B. Fath (Ed.), Reference module in earth systems and environmental sciences. Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.10589-5
Chapter in Book - Research
van Heezik, Y., & Seddon, P. J. (2017). Counting birds in urban areas: A review of methods for the estimation of abundance. In E. Murgui & M. Hedblom (Eds.), Ecology and conservation of birds in urban environments. (pp. 185-207). Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-43314-1_10
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., & Armstrong, D. P. (2016). Reintroduction and other conservation translocations: History and future developments. In D. S. Jachowski, J. J. Millspaugh, P. L. Angermeier & R. H. Slotow (Eds.), Reintroduction of fish and wildlife populations. (pp. 7-28). Oakland, CA: University of California Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Armstrong, D. P., Moro, D., Hayward, M. W., & Seddon, P. J. (2015). Introduction: The development of reintroduction biology in New Zealand and Australia. In D. P. Armstrong, M. W. Hayward, D. Moro & P. J. Seddon (Eds.), Advances in reintroduction biology of Australian and New Zealand fauna. (pp. 1-6). Clayton, Australia: CSIRO.
Chapter in Book - Research
Moro, D., Hayward, M. W., Seddon, P. J., & Armstrong, D. P. (2015). Reintroduction biology of Australian and New Zealand fauna: Progress, emerging themes and future directions. In D. P. Armstrong, M. W. Hayward, D. Moro & P. J. Seddon (Eds.), Advances in reintroduction biology of Australian and New Zealand fauna. (pp. 285-290). Clayton, Australia: CSIRO.
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., Moro, D., Mitchell, N. J., Chauvenet, A. L. M., & Mawson, P. R. (2015). Proactive conservation or planned invasion? Past, current and future use of assisted colonisation. In D. P. Armstrong, M. W. Hayward, D. Moro & P. J. Seddon (Eds.), Advances in reintroduction biology of Australian and New Zealand fauna. (pp. 105-126). Clayton, Australia: CSIRO.
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., & van Heezik, Y. (2013). Reintroductions to “ratchet up” public perceptions of biodiversity: Reversing the extinction of experience through animal restorations. In M. Bekoff (Ed.), Ignoring nature no more: The case for compassionate conservation. (pp. 137-151). University of Chicago Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., Ellenberg, U., & van Heezik, Y. (2013). Yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes). In P. Garcia Borboroglu & P. D. Boersma (Eds.), Penguins: Natural history and conservation. (pp. 91-110). Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Osborne, P. E., & Seddon, P. J. (2012). Selecting suitable habitats for reintroductions: Variation, change and the role of species distribution modelling. In J. G. Ewen, D. P. Armstrong, K. A. Parker & P. J. Seddon (Eds.), Reintroduction biology: Integrating science and management. (pp. 73-104). Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781444355833.ch3
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., Strauss, W. M., & Innes, J. (2012). Animal translocations: What are they and why do we do them? In J. G. Ewen, D. P. Armstrong, K. A. Parker & P. J. Seddon (Eds.), Reintroduction biology: Integrating science and management. (pp. 1-32). Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781444355833.ch1
Chapter in Book - Research
Ellenberg, U., & Seddon, P. J. (2010). Effective management decision-making depends on rigorous research. In A. Krause & E. Weir (Eds.), Ecotourism: Management, development and impact. (pp. 257-260). New York: Nova Science.
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., & Ellenberg, U. (2008). Effects of human disturbance on penguins: The need for site- and species-specific visitor management guidelines. In J. Higham & M. Lück (Eds.), Marine wildlife and tourism management: Insights from the natural and social sciences. (pp. 163-181). Wallingford, UK: CABI.
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., & Launay, F. (2008). Arab falconry: Changes, challenges and conservation opportunities of an ancient art. In B. Lovelock (Ed.), Tourism and the consumption of wildlife: Hunting, shooting and sport fishing. (pp. 196-210). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., Judas, J., Maloney, R. F., Combreau, O., & van Heezik, Y. (2000). The re-introduction of houbara bustards in the Kingsom of Saudi Arabia. In P. Soorae & P. J. Seddon (Eds.), Re-introduction news: Special bird issue. No 19. (pp. 22-24). IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group.
Chapter in Book - Research
Seddon, P. J., & van Heezik, Y. (1999). Counting Houbara bustards in northern Saudi Arabia: An assessment of methods. In Counting Houbara bustards. (pp. 18-24). Abu Dhabi: IUCN/SSC/Birdlife Working Group on the Houbara Bustard.
Chapter in Book - Research
Fisher, M., Ghazanfar, S. A., Chaudhary, S. A., Seddon, P. J., Robertson, E. F., Omar, S., … Boer, B. (1998). Diversity and Conservation. In S. A. Ghazanfar & M. Fisher (Eds.), Vegetation of Arabia. (pp. Ch. 12). The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic.
Chapter in Book - Research
Ewen, J. G., Armstrong, D. P., Parker, K. A., & Seddon, P. J. (2012). Preface. In J. G. Ewen, D. P. Armstrong, K. A. Parker & P. J. Seddon (Eds.), Reintroduction biology: Integrating science and management. (pp. xxiii-xxv). Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781444355833.fmatter
Chapter in Book - Other
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