Stephanie H. Stack

Stephanie H. Stack

she/her

Marine mammalogist | Humpback whale behavioural ecology & energetics | UAV photogrammetry | Conservation science

Portfolio

Climate and health

Baleen whales connect distant parts of the ocean, building energy reserves on feeding grounds and spending them thousands of kilometres away on breeding grounds. That makes them unusually sensitive to environmental change: a poor feeding season can be reflected in the body condition of an individual whale long before it becomes apparent in population numbers. My research uses drone photogrammetry to measure those changes directly, tracking body condition, growth, and reproductive output across populations and years, and linking individual health to the ocean conditions that shaped it. Working across hemispheres allows these relationships to be compared between ecosystems responding to climate change at different rates.

Human impacts

Whales and dolphins share their habitat with fishing gear, vessels, and coastal development, yet many harmful interactions are never observed or reported. My research develops methods to quantify these hidden impacts by combining drone photogrammetry and long-term photo-identification to measure injury rates, estimate the prevalence of entanglement and vessel collisions, and identify the human activities placing populations at greatest risk. These data provide an evidence base for decisions about shipping, fisheries, and habitat protection.

Behaviour and natural history

Understanding how to protect a species begins with understanding how it lives. Despite decades of research, much of the behaviour and ecology of whales and dolphins remains poorly described. My research documents these behaviours through long-term field studies, revealing how animals move, socialise, reproduce, and use important habitats. By building this foundation of natural history, the work provides context for ecological research and informs conservation and management.

Whale and dolphin tourism

Whale and dolphin tourism is the most common way people encounter cetaceans, and the sustainability of the industry depends on the animals remaining healthy and abundant. My research examines how vessels and swimmers influence cetacean behaviour and when those effects are biologically meaningful, generating the evidence needed for effective management. This has grown into a body of work spanning multiple species, regions, and tourism models, developed in collaboration with the operators and regulators responsible for managing these interactions.