Centre for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour

Research Interests:

Significant progress in the study of marine vertebrates has come from technological advances which 'open a window' into an otherwise, dark, cold, opaque and hostile environment. My major contributions are in three main areas:

Animal Behaviour
Important contributions to the debate on the significance of play, including the first demonstration of a lethal cost of play behaviour; and demonstration of the importance of individual variation in behaviour and life experience to foraging, communication and mating tactics. Ongoing research is on individual differences and evolutionary mechanisms, combining observation and experimental manipulation in the field with molecular markers for assessing paternity and relatedness.

Animal Ecology
My research team and I were the first to successfully deploy satellite transmitters on otariid seals and wintering Adelie penguins and we have developed methods of measuring and interpreting dive data in two and three dimensions. These papers have helped transform our understanding of how warm-blooded animals cope with environmental extremes as they forage and breed in the marine environment. We are also exploring the use of marine mammals as oceanographic platforms and environmental monitors.

Biological Conservation
Conservation has been described as a crisis science; time is against us. Consequently we are combining targeted scientific papers in high quality journals such as Biol Letters and Biol Cons., with contracted research (20 reports, authored three Recovery Plans in the last five years), invited expert comment (state and federal committees, Defence, Industry, NGOs and UNEP), collaborative research with government agencies and public submissions to Recovery Plans and Discussion Documents and facilitator at workshops for State and Federal Agencies.

Selected Publications:

Harcourt, R., D. Aurioles and J. Sanchez. 1994. Entanglement in man-made debris of California sea lions at Los Islotes, Bay of La Paz, Mexico. Marine Mammal Science 10: 122-125.

Lalas, C. and R. Harcourt. 1995. Pup production of the New Zealand fur seal on Otago Peninsula, New Zealand. Journal of the. Royal Society of New Zealand. 25: 81-88.

Harcourt, R.G., A. Schulman, L.S. Davis and F. Trillmich 1995. Summer foraging by lactating female New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) off Otago Peninsula, New Zealand Canadian Journal of Zoology. 73: 678-690

Jago, J.G., Hargreaves, A.L., Harcourt, R.G., and Matthews, L.R. 1996. Risk factors associated with bruising in red deer at a commercial slaughter plant. Meat Science 44:181-191.

Jago, J., R.G. Harcourt and L.R. Matthews. 1997. The effect of road-type and distance transported on behaviour, physiology and carcass quality of farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus). Applied  Animal Behaviour Science. 51:129-141.

Fea, N. and R. Harcourt. 1997. Assessing the use of faecal and regurgitate analysis as a means of determining the diet of New Zealand fur seals.  In: "Marine Mammal Research in the Southern Hemisphere: Status, ecology and medicine". M. Hindell. and C. Kemper (eds) Surrey Beatty and Sons Ltd., Chipping Norton. P 143-150.

Harcourt, R. and L. Davis. 1997. The use of satellite telemetry to determine fur seal foraging areas.  In: "Marine Mammal Research in the Southern Hemisphere: Status, Ecology and Medicine". M. Hindell. and C. Kemper (eds) Surrey Beatty and Sons Ltd., Chipping Norton. P 137-142.

Möller, L.M. and R.G. Harcourt.1998 Social dynamics and activity patterns of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, in Jervis Bay, southeastern Australia Proceedings of the Linnean Society of NSW 120: 181-189.

Davis, L.S., R.G. Harcourt and C.J. Bradshaw. 1998. The winter migration of Adelie Penguins breeding in the Ross Sea sector of Antarctica: preliminary results and predictions. New Zealand Natural Sciences 23: 248

Harcourt, R.G., Hindell, M.A. and Waas, J.R. 1998. Under-ice movements and territory use in free-ranging Weddell seals during the breeding season. New Zealand Natural Sciences 23: 72-73

Davis, L. S., F.M. Hunter, R.G. Harcourt and S.M. Heath. 1998. Reciprocal homosexual mounting in Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae). Emu 98: 136-137.

Fea, N., R. Harcourt, C. Lalas. 1999. Seasonal variation in the diet of New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) on Otago Peninsula, New Zealand. Wildlife Research. 26: 147-160.

Bradshaw, C.J.A., C. Lalas, L. Perriman, R.G. Harcourt, H. Best and L.S. Davis. 1999. Seasonal oscillation in shore attendance and transience of New Zealand fur seals Canadian Journal of Zoology 77: 814-823.

Bradshaw, C. J. A., L. S. Davis, C. Lalas and R. G. Harcourt. 2000. Geographic and temporal variation in the condition of pups of the New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri): evidence for density dependence and differences in the marine environment.. Journal of Zoology, London. 252: 41-51

Mendl, M. and R. Harcourt. 2000. Individuality in the domestic cat: origins, development and stability. In The domestic cat: the biology of its behaviour, 2nd Edition. D.C. Turner and P. Bateson (eds.) CUP, Cambridge, pp47-64.

Harcourt, R.G., Hindell, M.A., Bell, D. G. and Waas, J.R. 2000. Three dimensional dive profiles of free-ranging Weddell seals Polar Biology 23: 479-486.

Hunter, FM. Harcourt, RG, Wright, M and Davis, LS. 2000. Strategic allocation of ejaculates by male Adélie penguins. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B. 267: 1541-1545.

Harcourt, R.G. 2001. Ross seal. Advances in New Zealand Mammalogy 1990-2000: Pinnipeds. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Special Issue 31: 153-160

Harcourt, R.G. 2001. Crabeater seal. Advances in New Zealand Mammalogy 1990-2000: Pinnipeds. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Special Issue 31: 152-153

Harcourt, R.G. 2001. Weddell seal. Advances in New Zealand Mammalogy 1990-2000: Pinnipeds. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Special Issue 31: 148-151

Harcourt, R.G. 2001. Southern elephant seal. Advances in New Zealand Mammalogy 1990-2000: Pinnipeds. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Special Issue 31: 145-148.

Harcourt, R.G. 2001. Leopard seal. Advances in New Zealand Mammalogy 1990-2000: Pinnipeds. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Special Issue 31: 152-152

Harcourt, R.G. 2001. New Zealand sea lion. Advances in New Zealand Mammalogy 1990-2000: Pinnipeds. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Special Issue 31: 141-145

Harcourt, R.G. 2001. New Zealand fur seal. Advances in New Zealand Mammalogy 1990-2000: Pinnipeds. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Special Issue 31: 135-141

Davis, L.S., Harcourt, R.G. and Bradshaw, C.J.A. 2001 The winter migration of Adelie penguins breeding in the Ross Sea sector of Antarctica. Polar Biology 24: 593-597

Möller, L.M., Beheregaray, L.B., Harcourt, R.G., Krutzen, M. 2001 Alliance membership and kinship in wild male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) of southeastern Australia.. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B 268: 1-7.

Harcourt, R.G., C.J. Bradshaw and L.S. Davis. 2001. Summer foraging behaviour of a generalist predator, the New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) Wildlife Research 28: 599-606.

Harcourt, R.G., C.J. Bradshaw, K. Dickson and L.S. Davis. 2002. Foraging ecology of a generalist predator, the New Zealand fur seal. Marine Ecology Progress Series 227: 11-24

Little S.J. R. Harcourt and A.P. Clevenger 2002. Do wildlife passages act as prey-traps? Biological Conservation 107: 135-145

Möller, L, Allen, S and Harcourt, R 2002. Abundance, site fidelity and group characteristics of "bottlenose dolphins" (Tursiops aduncus) in Port Stephens and Jervis Bay. Australian Mammalogy 24: 11-22.

Hindell, M.A, Harcourt, R.G., Waas, J.R and Thompson, D. 2002. Fine-scale, three dimensional spatial use of diving lactating female Weddell seals, Leptonychotes weddellii Marine Ecology Progress Series 242: 275-284.

Bradshaw, C.J.A., Hindell, M.A., Littnan, C., Harcourt, R.G. 2003. Determining Marine Movements of Australasian Pinnipeds. In: Merrick, J.R., Archer, M., Hickey, G. and Lee, M .. (Eds). Evolution and Biogeography of Australasian Vertebrates. In press

Bradshaw, C. J. A., R. J. Barker, L. S. Davis, R. G. Harcourt. 2003. Estimating survival and capture probability of New Zealand fur seal pups using multi-stratum mark-recapture models . Journal of Mammalogy 84: 65-80.

Blumstein, D.L, Anthony, L.L., Harcourt, R.G. and Ross, G. 2003. Testing a key assumption of wildlife buffer zones: Is flight initiation distance a species-specific trait? Biological Conservation 110: 97-100.

Hindell, M.A., Bradshaw, C. J. A, Harcourt, R.G. 2003 Ecosystem monitoring: are seals a potential tool for monitoring change in marine systems? In Gales, N. J., M. A. Hindell and R. Kirkwood (Eds). Marine mammals: fisheries, tourism and management issues. CSIRO pp 318-331

Bradshaw, C.J.A., R.G. Harcourt and L.S. Davis. 2003. Male-biased sex ratios in New Zealand fur seal pups relative to environmental variation. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 53: 297-307

Otway, N.M., Bradshaw, C.J.A, Harcourt, R.G. 2004. Estimating the rate of quasi-extinction of the Australian grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) population using deterministic age- and stage-classified models Biological Conservation 119:341-350.

Harcourt, R.G. 2005. Ross seal. Handbook of New Zealand Mammals, 2nd Edition.  (Ed C.M. King) Oxford University Press. Pp254-255.

Harcourt, R.G.. 2005 New Zealand fur seal. Handbook of New Zealand Mammals, 2nd Edition.  (Ed C.M. King) Oxford University Press. pp225-235.

Harcourt, R.G. 2005 SubAntarctic fur seal. Handbook of New Zealand Mammals, 2nd Edition. (Ed C.M. King) Oxford University Press. pp235-236.

Harcourt, R.G. 2005 New Zealand sea lion. Handbook of New Zealand Mammals, 2nd Edition.  (Ed C.M. King) Oxford University Press. pp236-241.

Harcourt, R.G. 2005 Southern elephant seal. Handbook of New Zealand Mammals, 2nd Edition.  (Ed C.M. King) Oxford University Press. Pp242-247.

Harcourt, R.G. 2005 Weddell seal. Handbook of New Zealand Mammals, 2nd Edition.  (Ed C.M. King) Oxford University Press. Pp247-250.

Harcourt, R.G. 2005 Leopard seal. Handbook of New Zealand Mammals, 2nd Edition.  (Ed C.M. King) Oxford University Press. Pp251-252.

Harcourt, R.G. 2005 Crabeater seal. Handbook of New Zealand Mammals, 2nd Edition.  (Ed C.M. King) Oxford University Press. Pp252-254.

Kaliszewska, Z.A., Ronwtree, V.J., Seger, J., Barco, S.G., Benegas, R., Best, P.B., Brown, M.W., Brownell Jr., R.L., Carribero, A., Harcourt, R., Knowlton, A.R., Masrshall-Tilas, K., Patenaude, N.J., Rivarola, M., Schaeff, C.M., Sironi, M., Smith, W.A., Yamada, T.K. (2005) Population histories of right whales (Cetacaea: Eubalaena) inferred from mitochondrial sequence diversities and divergences of their whale lice (Amphipoda: Cyamus). Molecular Ecology. 14: 3439-3456.

Collins, K.T., Rogers, T.L., Terhune, J.M., McGreevy, P.D., Wheatley, K.E., Harcourt, R.G. 2005. Individual variation of in-air female 'pup-contact' calls in Weddell seals, Leptonychotes weddellii. Behaviour 142: 167-189.

Harcourt, R.G. In press. Weddell Seals. In. Encyclopedia of the Antarctic. B. Riffenburgh (Ed). Routledge. Invited Entry.

Wheatley, K.E., Bradshaw, C.J.AS., Davis, L.S., Harcourt, R.G., Hindell, M.A. (2006).Influence of maternal mass and condition on energy transfer in Weddell seals. Journal of Animal Ecology. 75: 724-733.

Stow, A., Zenger, K., Briscoe, D., Gillings, M., Peddemors, V., Otway, N. Harcourt, R. (2006) Isolation and genetic diversity of endangered grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) populations. Biology Letters. 2: 308-311.

Wheatley, K.E., Bradshaw, C.J.AS., Harcourt, R.G., Davis, L.S., Hindell, M.A. (2006). Chemical immobilization of adult female Weddell seals with tiletamine and zolazepam: effects of age, condition and stage of lactation BMC Veterinary Research 2:8 doi:10.1186/1746-6148-2-8.

Lemon, M, Lynch, T., Cato, D. Harcourt, R. 2006Response of travelling bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) to experimental approaches by a powerboat in Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Biological Conservation 127: 363-372.

Harcourt, R.G., Kingston, J.J., Cameron, M., Waas, J.R. and Hindell, M.A. (In press) Paternity analysis shows experience, not age, enhances mating success in an aquatically mating pinniped, the Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Accepted30 May 2006

Möller,. L., Beheregaray, L. Allen, S., Harcourt, R. (in press)  Association patterns and kinship in female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) of southeastern Australia Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Accepted 2 June 2006

Collins K.T., McGreevy, P.D., Rogers, T.L., Wheatley,. K.E., Harcourt, R.G. (in press) Vocal individuality of in-air Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) pup 'primary' calls Marine Mammal Science Accepted April 1 2006

Charrier, I., Harcourt, R. (In press) Individual vocal recognition in the Australian sea lion, Neophoca cinerea Journal of Mammalogy. Accepted Feb 21 2006

For Further Information: http://www.gse.mq.edu.au/research/mmrg/index_nn.htm