A/Prof. Lars Bejder

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Lars Bejder PhD

Research Leader

My main research interests fall into three categories: analysing and developing quantitative methods to evaluate complex animal social structures; evaluating impacts of human activity (coastal development, tourism, habitat degradation) on cetaceans; and fundamental biology and ecology, including assessing abundance and habitat use of marine wildlife. I work closely with wildlife management agencies to optimise the conservation- and management outcomes of my research.

2012 – ongoing: Associate Professor, Cetacean Research Unit, Murdoch University, AUS.

2011 – ongoing: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Duke University, USA.

2011: Recipient of Murdoch University’s 2011 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research.

2006 – 2011: Research Leadership Fellow, Cetacean Research Unit, Murdoch University, AUS.

2005: Doctor of Philosophy. Dalhousie University, Canada.

1997: Master of Science in Marine Science. University of Otago, New Zealand.

1994: Bachelor of Science in Biology. University of Odense, Denmark.

2011: Member of the Western Australia’s Marine Parks and Reserves Authority Science Advisory Committee.

2010: Chair of the International Whaling Commission’s Whale-watch sub-committee.

2008 – present: Board member of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (Chair of the Education Committee).

2008: Host and organizer: International Whaling Commission Workshop: Large-Scale Whalewatching Research Initiative.

2006 – present: Member of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

2007 – present: Board of Management member of Bunbury Dolphin Discovery, Western Australia.

2006 – present: Referee for peer-review journals including Animal Behaviour, Marine Mammal Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Ecology, Marine Ecology Progress.

In Press/Accepted

  • Bejder, L., Hodgson, A., Loneragan, N. and Allen, S. 2012. The need for re-evaluation of species listings and short-comings in the Environmental Impact Assessment process. Pacific Conservation Biology. 18: xx-xx
  • Allen, S., Cagnazzi, D., Hodgson, A., Loneragan, N. and Bejder, L.  2012. Tropical inshore dolphins of north-western Australia: Unknown populations in a rapidly changing region. Pacific Conservation Biology. 18: xx-xx
  • Donaldson, R., Finn, H., Bejder, L., Lusseau, D. and Calver, M. In press. The social side of human-wildlife interaction: wildlife can learn harmful behaviours from each other. Animal Conservation.
  • Lusseau, D., Bejder, L., Corkeron, P., Allen, S. and Higham, J. Accepted. Learning from past mistakes: Regulating whalewatching as a consumptive activity. Conservation Biology.

2012

  • Jensen, F. H., Beedholm, K., Wahlberg, M., Bejder, L., and Madsen, P. T. 2012. Estimated communication range and energetic cost of bottlenose dolphin whistles in a tropical habitat. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 131: 582-592.
  • Tyne, J., Loneragan, L., Kopps, A., Allen, S., Krützen, M. and Bejder, L. 2012. Ecological characteristics contribute to sponge distribution and tool use in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). Marine Ecology Progress Series 444:143-153.

2011

  • Wahlberg, M., Jensen, F.H., Aguilar-Soto, N., Beedholm, K., Bejder, L. Oliveria, C., Rasmussen, M., Simon, M., Villadsgaard, A. and Madsen, P.T. 2011. Source parameters of echolocation clicks from wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops adnucus and Tursiops truncatus). Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 130(4):2263-2274.
  • Frère, C.H., Mann, J., Krützen, M., Connor, R., Bejder, L and Sherwin W.B. 2011. Nature and nurture: a step towards investigating their interactions in the wild. Communicative & Integrative Biology 4(2):192-193
  • Allen, S.J., Bejder, L. and Krützen, M. 2011. Why do Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) carry conch shells (Turbinella sp.) in Shark Bay, Western Australia? Marine Mammal Science. 27(2). pp. 449-454
  • Deakos, M.H., Baker, J.D. and Bejder, L. 2011. Characteristics of a manta ray (Manta alfredi) population off Maui, Hawaii, and implications for management Marine Ecological Progress Series. 429:245-260
  • Williams, R., Gero, S., Bejder, L., Calambokidis, J., Scott D. Kraus, S.D., Lusseau, D., Read, A. and Robbins, J. 2011. Underestimating the Damage: interpreting cetacean carcass recoveries in the context of the Deepwater Horizon/BP incident. Conservation Letters. 4: 228–233

2010

  • Bacher, K., Allen, S.J., Lindholm, A., Bejder, L. and Krützen, M. 2010. Genes or culture – Are mitochondrial genes associated with tool use in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.)? Behaviour and Genetics. 40: 706-714
  • Frère, C.H., Krützen, M., Mann, J., Connor, R., Bejder, L. and Sherwin W.B. 2010. Social and genetic interactions drive fitness variation in a free-living dolphin population. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 107 (46): 19949-19954.
  • Frère, C.H., Krützen, M., Mann, J., Connor, R., Bejder, L. and Sherwin W.B. 2010. Home range overlap, matrilineal, and biparental kinship drive female associations in East Shark Bay bottlenose dolphins. Animal Behaviour. 80: 481-486
  • Tyne, J.A., Loneragan, N., Krützen, M., Allen, S., and Bejder, L. 2010. An integrated data management and video system to sample aquatic benthos. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 61: 1023-1028

2009

  • Bejder, L., Samuels, A., Whitehead, H., Finn, H. and Allen., S. 2009. Impact assessment research: use and misuse of habituation, sensitisation and tolerance to describe wildlife responses to anthropogenic stimuli. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 395: 177-185
  • Jensen, F.H., Bejder, L., Wahlberg, M. and Madsen, P.T. 2009. Biosonar adjustments to target range of echolocating bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp) in the wild. Journal of Experimental Biology: 212: 1078-1086. doi:10.1242/jeb.025619
  • Jensen, F.H., Bejder, L., Wahlberg, M., Johnson, M., Aguilar Soto, N. and Madsen, P.T. 2009. Vessel noise effects on delphinid communication. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 395: 161-175

2008

  • Higham J.E.S., Bejder, L. and Lusseau D. 2008. An integrated and adaptive management model to address the long term sustainability of tourist interactions with cetaceans. Environmental Conservation.35 (4):294-302 Copyright: Cambridge University Press. Online version
  • Bejder, L. and Lusseau, D. 2008. Valuable lessons from studies evaluating impacts of cetacean watch tourism. Bioacoustics (Special Issue) 17: 158-161.
  • Wahlberg, M., Schack, H.B., Wilson, M., Bejder, L. and Madsen, P.T. 2008. Particle acceleration noise generated by boats. Bioacoustics (Special Issue). 17: 148-150.
  • Jensen, F.H., Wahlberg, M., Bejder, L. and Madsen, P. 2008. Noise levels and masking potential of small whale watching and research vessel around two delphinid species. Bioacoustics (Special Issue) 17: 166-168.
  • Higham, J. and Bejder, L. 2008. Managing wildlife-based tourism: Edging slowly towards sustainability? Current Issues in Tourism 11(1): 75-83.

2007

  • Lusseau D. and Bejder, L. 2007. The long-term consequences of short-term responses to disturbance: Experiences from whalewatching impact assessment. International Journal of Comparative Psychology (Special Issue) 20: 228-236.
  • Constantine, R. and Bejder, L. 2007. Managing the whale-and dolphin watch industry: Time for a paradigm shift. In: J. Higham and M. Lück (Eds). Marine Wildlife and Tourism Management. CABI Publishing.
  • Heithaus, M., Frid, A., Wirsing, A., Dill, L.M., Fourqurean, J. and Bejder, L. 2007. Tiger shark predation risk drives condition-dependent habitat use in green sea turtles. Journal of Animal Ecology. 76(5): 837 – 844

2006

  • Bejder, L., Samuels, A., Whitehead, H., Gales, N., Mann, J., Connor, R., Heithaus, M., Watson-Capps, J., Flaherty, C and Krützen, M. 2006. Decline in relative abundance of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp) exposed to long-term disturbance. Conservation Biology. 20 (6), 1791–1798.
  • Bejder, L., Samuels, A., Whitehead, H. and Gales, N. 2006. Interpreting short-term behavioural responses to disturbance within a longitudinal perspective. Animal Behaviour. 72 (5): 1149-1158.
  • Connor, R.C., Smolker, R., and Bejder, L. 2006. Synchrony, social behavior and alliance affiliations in Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). Animal Behaviour. 72 (6): 1371-1378.

2005

  • Gero, S., Bejder, L., Whitehead, H., Mann, J. and Connor, R.C. 2005. Behaviourally specific preferred associations in bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops spp. Canadian Journal of Zoology 83: 1566-1573.
  • Heithaus, M.R., Frid, A., Wirsing, A., Bejder, L. and Dill, L.M. 2005. Biology of sea turtles under the risk from tiger sharks at a foraging ground. Marine Ecology Progress Series: 288:285-294.
  • Krützen M., Mann, J., Heithaus, M.R., Connor, R.C., Bejder, L., and Sherwin, W.B. 2005. Cultural transmission of a foraging strategy involving tool use in bottlenose dolphins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: 102(25): 8939-8943.
  • Whitehead, H., Bejder, L. and Ottensmeyer, A. 2005. Testing association patterns: issues arising and extensions. Animal Behaviour 69: e1–e6. Online:doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2004.11.004

Pre 2004

  • Allen, S. and Bejder, L. 2004. Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) sightings on the Australian coast and the increasing potential for entanglement. Pacific Conservation Biology: 9(3): 228-233.
  • Samuels, A. and Bejder, L. 2004. Chronic interactions between humans and wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) near Panama City Beach, Florida. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 6(1): 69-77.
  • Bejder, L. and Samuels, A. 2003. Evaluating impacts of nature-based tourism on cetaceans. In: N. Gales, M. Hindell, R. Kirkwood (Eds.) pp. 229-256. Marine Mammals: Fisheries, Tourism and Management Issues. CSIRO Publishing. 480 pp.
  • Samuels, A., Bejder, L., Constantine, R. and Heinrich. 2003. A review of swimming with wild cetaceans with a specific focus on the Southern Hemisphere. In: N. Gales, M.Hindell, R. Kirkwood (Eds) pp. 277-303. Marine Mammals: Fisheries, Tourism and Management Issues. CSIRO Publishing. 480pp.
  • Bejder, L. and Hall, B.K. 2002. Evolution and development of limbs in whales and other vertebrates: mechanisms of transformation and loss. Evolution and Development. 4(6): 445-458.
  • Bejder, L. and Dawson, S. 2001. Abundance, residency, and habitat utilisation of Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) in Porpoise Bay, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research: 35: 277-287.
  • Bejder, L., Dawson, S. and Harraway, J. 1999. Responses by Hector’s dolphins to boats and swimmers in Porpoise Bay, New Zealand. Marine Mammal Science: 15(3): 738-750.
  • Bejder, L., Fletcher, D. and Bräger, S. 1998. A method for testing association patterns of social mammals. Animal Behaviour: 56:719-725.

Dr. Rochelle Constantine, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Dr. Celine Frere. University of New South Wales, Australia.
Prof. James Higham. University of Otago, New Zealand.
Associate Prof. Dave Johnston. Duke University, USA.
Dr. Halina Kobryn (Murdoch University, Australia)
Prof. Neil Loneragan (Murdoch University, Australia)
Dr. David Lusseau. University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Prof. Peter Madsen. University of Aarhus, Denmark.
Dr. Guido Parra, Flinders University, Australia.
Prof Ken Pollock (North Carolina State University, US)
Associate Prof. Bill Sherwin. University of New South Wales, Australia.
Associate Prof. Magnus Wahlberg. Fjord-og-Baelt, Denmark; University of Southern Denmark.

Lars Bejder, PhD.
Cetacean Research Unit
Centre for Fish, Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystem Research
Murdoch University South Street Murdoch WA 6150 Australia
Tel (61-8) 9360 6582 | Fax (61-8) 9360 6303 | * l.bejder@murdoch.edu.au