Associate ProfessorDesley Whisson
Associate Professor
Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment/School of Life and Environmental Sciences
Orcid identifier0000-0002-4221-0706 (opens in a new tab)
- Associate ProfessorFaculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment/School of Life and Environmental Sciences
- +61 3 925 17302 (Work)
- Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125
RESEARCH INTERESTS
I have a particular interest in all aspects (except maybe the politics) of koalas including ecology, behaviour, health and management. My current projects aim to fill important knowledge gaps on the distribution, abundance and health of Victorian koalas, and their relationship with habitat, landscape, and climate.
I also undertake research on Yellow-bellied Gliders and Broad-toothed Rats, applying my skills in spatial ecology to better understand distributions and how they may be impacted by landscape change and processes like fire.
I also undertake research on Yellow-bellied Gliders and Broad-toothed Rats, applying my skills in spatial ecology to better understand distributions and how they may be impacted by landscape change and processes like fire.
GRANTS
- CONTRACT RESEARCHUse of non-toxic projectiles for the kangaroo industry31 Jul 2024 - 30 Jun 2025People funded by this grant:
- Whisson D,
- Weston M
- CONTRACT RESEARCHKoala population trends in Victoria1 Nov 2023 - 30 Jun 2026People funded by this grant:
- Whisson D,
- Ramsey D
- GRANTDesign and delivery of a Victorian Koala population, genetics and health status survey15 Sep 2023 - 30 Sep 2024People funded by this grant:
- Whisson D,
- Rendall A
- GRANTSTUDENT APPLICATION - Conserving koalas in a complex landscape1 Jan 2023 - 31 Dec 2023People funded by this grant:
- Whisson D,
- Harwood S,
- Miller A
- GRANTImpacts of feral herbivores on post-fire recovery and species persistence17 Aug 2022 - 31 Dec 2025People funded by this grant:
- Driscoll D,
- Fuik-Burgemeestre SA,
- Whisson D
- CONTRACT RESEARCHDrone surveys vs double-observer counts for East Gippsland Koala populations.11 May 2022 - 31 Jul 2022People funded by this grant:
- Howell L,
- Whisson D,
- Ierodiaconou D,
- Allan B,
- Driscoll D
- CONTRACT RESEARCHEast Gippsland Koala Surveys.11 Mar 2022 - 30 Jun 2022People funded by this grant:
- Desley Whisson
- CONTRACT RESEARCHMonitoring Victorian Koala Populations.16 Sep 2021 - 12 Nov 2021People funded by this grant:
- Desley Whisson
- CONTRACT RESEARCHCollaborative Koala project on the Mornington Peninsula.16 Aug 2021 - 30 Jun 2024People funded by this grant:
- Whisson D,
- Rendall A
- CONTRACT RESEARCHThe koala genome: filling one of the Victorian gaps in the national mapping program.16 Aug 2021 - 30 Jun 2022People funded by this grant:
- Desley Whisson
- CONTRACT RESEARCHERP16 USE OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR NATIVE WILDLIFE POPULATION ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT3 Aug 2021 - 31 Dec 2024People funded by this grant:
- Driscoll D,
- Ritchie E,
- Whisson D,
- Weston M,
- Ierodiaconou D
- GRANTConserving koalas in a complex landscape.23 Apr 2021 - 31 Dec 2025People funded by this grant:
- Desley Whisson
- CONTRACT RESEARCHExpert opinion: Impacts of habitat clearance on koalas.2 Feb 2021 - 30 Jun 2021People funded by this grant:
- Desley Whisson
- GRANTImpacts of severe and extensive fire and interactions with feral herbivores29 Jun 2020 - 30 Jun 2021People funded by this grant:
- Driscoll D,
- Sato C,
- Whisson D,
- Ritchie E
- COLLABORATIVE GRANTDiscovering the secrets and securing a bright future for the Broad-toothed Rat10 Jun 2020 - 9 Jun 2022People funded by this grant:
- Driscoll D,
- Whisson D,
- Ritchie E
- CONTRACT RESEARCHExpert witness DELWP6 Feb 2020 - 31 Dec 2021People funded by this grant:
- Desley Whisson
- GRANTFuture Proofing SA Bluegum Plantations through early detection and improved management processes related to koalas.23 Nov 2018 - 27 Aug 2021People funded by this grant:
- Weber D,
- Whisson D,
- Schebella M,
- Finn A,
- Brinkworth R
- CONTRACT RESEARCHExpert advice - NSW Koala strategy research25 Sep 2018 - 30 Jun 2019People funded by this grant:
- Desley Whisson
- GRANTKoala personality: What does it take to succeed?18 Jun 2018 - 1 May 2019People funded by this grant:
- Desley Whisson
- GRANTConserving southern koalas: Spatial dynamics and habitat occupancy of koala populations in blue gum plantations of southern Australia13 Nov 2017 - 30 Jun 2020People funded by this grant:
- Whisson D,
- Ashman K
- GRANTUnderstanding the ecology of koalas in the face of climate change29 Jun 2011 - 29 Jun 2014People funded by this grant:
- Whisson D,
- Melzer A