Chris Hartnett, Threatened Species Program Coordinator, Zoos Victoria
Chris Hartnett is a Threatened Species Program Coordinator in the Wildlife Conservation and Science Department at Zoos Victoria, which is committed to recovery actions for 27 priority species that have been identified as being at risk of extinction within 10–20 years. Working closely with a range of conservation partners, Chris has led the strategic planning and implementation for Zoos Victoria’s Detection Dog Squad program since 2016, and plains-wanderer program since 2018. Chris has extensive experience in experimental design and implementation and has played project management and field officer roles within a number of conservation projects for Australian native species, including the eastern barred bandicoot (mate choice research and population monitoring), orange-bellied parrot (captive–wild translocation), Leadbeater’s possum (GPS-tracking trial and captive–wild translocation), mountain pygmy-possum (collection for captive-breeding program and supplementary feeding trial to support post-bushfire recovery), and the use of detection dogs to locate threatened wildlife, including the baw baw frog and plains-wanderer. Her strengths lie in communication, planning, and overcoming the many logistical challenges encountered in the effort to bring species back from the brink of extinction.
Qualifications: Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (Fine Art)
Thesis topic: Female mate choice in the eastern barred bandicoot
Pronouns: She/her.
Current project
Completed project
