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A list of all the posts and pages found on the site. For you robots out there, there is an XML version available for digesting as well.
Pages
Posts
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Blog Post number 1
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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.
publications
Distribution patterns of east Australian humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Hervey Bay, Queensland: a historical perspective
Published in Australian Mammalogy, 2019
Analyses long-term distribution patterns of humpback whales in Hervey Bay using historical data spanning several decades.
Citation: Stack, S.H., Currie, J.J., McCordic, J.A., Machernis, A.F., Olson, G.L. (2019). Distribution patterns of east Australian humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Hervey Bay, Queensland: a historical perspective. Australian Mammalogy 42(1): 16-27. DOI: 10.1071/AM18029
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Incidence of odontocetes with dorsal fin collapse in Maui Nui, Hawaii
Published in Aquatic Mammals, 2019
Quantifies rates of dorsal fin collapse across odontocete species in Maui Nui, Hawaii, contributing to understanding of population health indicators.
Citation: Stack, S.H., Currie, J.J., McCordic, J.A., and Olson, G.O. (2019). Incidence of odontocetes with dorsal fin collapse in Maui Nui, Hawaii. Aquatic Mammals 45(3): 257-265. DOI: 10.1578/AM.45.3.2019.257
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Identifying spinner dolphin movement and behavioral patterns to inform conservation strategies in Maui Nui, Hawaii
Published in Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2020
Documents movement patterns and daytime resting habitat use by spinner dolphins in Maui Nui, providing the scientific basis for time-area closures under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Citation: Stack, S.H., Olson, G.L., Neamtu, V., Machernis, A.F., Baird, R.W., Currie, J.J. (2020). Identifying spinner dolphin movement and behavioral patterns to inform conservation strategies in Maui Nui, Hawaii. Marine Ecology Progress Series 644: 187-197. DOI: 10.3354/meps13347
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The behavioural impacts of commercial swimming with whale tours on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Hervey Bay, Australia
Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, 2021
Quantifies behavioural responses of humpback whales to commercial swim-with-whale tourism operations, informing management guidelines in Queensland, Australia.
Citation: Stack, S.H., Sprogis, K.R., Olson, G.L., Sullivan, F.A., Machernis, A.F. and Currie, J.J. (2021). The behavioural impacts of commercial swimming with whale tours on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Hervey Bay, Australia. Frontiers in Marine Science. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.696136
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Rapid weight loss in free ranging pygmy killer whales and the implications for anthropogenic disturbance of odontocetes
Published in Scientific Reports, 2021
Quantifies dramatic body condition decline in pygmy killer whales following entanglement, with implications for the energetic impacts of human disturbance on cetaceans.
Citation: Currie, J.J., van Aswegen, M., Stack, S.H., West, K.L., Vivier, F. and Bejder, L. (2021). Rapid weight loss in free ranging pygmy killer whales and the implications for anthropogenic disturbance of odontocetes. Scientific Reports 11, 8181. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87514-2
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High-resolution projections of global sea surface temperatures reveal critical warming in humpback whale breeding grounds
Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, 2022
Projects future sea surface temperature trajectories for key humpback whale breeding grounds under multiple climate scenarios, identifying locations at highest risk from thermal stress.
Citation: von Hammerstein, H., Setter, R.O., van Aswegen, M., Currie, J.J., Stack, S.H. (2022). High-resolution projections of global sea surface temperatures reveal critical warming in humpback whale breeding grounds. Frontiers in Marine Science 668. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2022.837772
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An observation of sexual behavior between two male humpback whales
Published in Marine Mammal Science, 2024
The first documented observation of male-male sexual behaviour in humpback whales, contributing a novel finding to the understanding of cetacean social and sexual behaviour.
Citation: Stack, S.H., Krannichfeld, L. and Romano, B. (2024). An observation of sexual behavior between two male humpback whales. Marine Mammal Science, e13119. DOI: 10.1111/MMS.13119
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New northernmost distribution records of the Eastern South Pacific southern right whale
Published in PLOS ONE, 2024
Documents the first confirmed sighting of a southern right whale north of the equator, representing an extraordinary range extension for this species.
Citation: Castro Ayala, C., Garcia-Cegarra, A.M., Uceda-Vega, P., Aguilar, L., Kelez, S., Buchan, S.J., Felix, F., Stack, S.H. and Van Waerebeek, K. (2024). New northernmost distribution records of the Eastern South Pacific southern right whale. PLOS ONE 19(11), e0312528. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312528
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Prevalence, composition, and behaviour of humpback whale groups containing multiple mother-calf pairs in East Australia
Published in Aquatic Mammals, 2025
Characterises group composition and behaviour of humpback whale aggregations containing multiple mother-calf pairs in eastern Australian waters.
Citation: McGovern, B., Machernis, A.F., McCordic, J.A., Olson, G.L., Sullivan, F.A., Barber-Meyer, S.M., Currie, J.J., Stack, S.H. (2025). Prevalence, composition, and behaviour of humpback whale groups containing multiple mother-calf pairs in East Australia. Aquatic Mammals 51(2): 163-177. DOI: 10.1578/AM.51.2.2025.163
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Age-specific body length, mass and energetic cost of growth in humpback whales
Published in Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2025
Derives age-specific morphometric and energetic parameters for humpback whales, providing foundational data for bioenergetic modelling of this species.
Citation: van Aswegen, M., Szabo, A., Currie, J.J., Stack, S.H., et al. (2025). Age-specific body length, mass and energetic cost of growth in humpback whales. Marine Ecology Progress Series 770: 171-194. DOI: 10.3354/meps14937
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Tending the sick: observations of epimeletic behavior in humpback whales towards conspecifics during entanglement events
Published in PLOS ONE, 2025
First description of epimeletic (care-giving) behaviour directed by humpback whales toward entangled conspecifics, including novel observations of social response to anthropogenic injury.
Citation: Cartwright, R., Lyman, E., Venema, A., Currie, J.J., Stack, S.H., et al. (2025). Tending the sick: observations of epimeletic behavior in humpback whales towards conspecifics during entanglement events. PLOS ONE 20(3): e0321284. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0321284
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First evidence of bidirectional exchange between distant humpback whale breeding populations in eastern Australia and Brazil
Published in Royal Society Open Science, 2026
Documents the longest recorded movement of an individual humpback whale, revealing unprecedented connectivity between the eastern Australian and Brazilian breeding populations.
Citation: Castro, C.*, Stack, S.H.*, Marcondes, M.C.C., Cardoso, J., Cheeseman, T., Currie, J.J., Francisco, A., Olio, M., Righi, B.M., Stuckenbrock, S., and Sousa-Lima, R.S. (2026). First evidence of bidirectional exchange between distant humpback whale breeding populations in eastern Australia and Brazil. Royal Society Open Science. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.260251. *Joint first authors.
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Why warmer oceans are a problem for humpback whales
Published in Frontiers for Young Minds, 2026
An accessible overview of climate change impacts on humpback whale energetics and population dynamics, published in a peer-reviewed journal for young readers.
Citation: Stack, S.H., von Hammerstein, H., Setter, R.O., van Aswegen, M., and Currie, J.J. (2026). Why warmer oceans are a problem for humpback whales. Frontiers for Young Minds 14: 1581310. DOI: 10.3389/frym.2026.1581310
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Body condition differs among social clusters and across years in endangered false killer whales in Hawaiʻi
Published in Endangered Species Research, 2026
Documents variation in body condition among social clusters and across years in the endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale population using aerial photogrammetry.
Citation: Currie, J.J., Stirling, B., Olson, G., van Aswegen, M., Evans, L., Stack, S.H., et al. (2026). Body condition differs among social clusters and across years in endangered false killer whales in Hawaiʻi. Endangered Species Research 60: 1-22. DOI: 10.3354/esr01505
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talks
Talk 1 on Relevant Topic in Your Field
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Conference Proceeding talk 3 on Relevant Topic in Your Field
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teaching
Teaching experience 1
Undergraduate course, University 1, Department, 2014
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Teaching experience 2
Workshop, University 1, Department, 2015
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