Associate ProfessorRobyn Hetem

My research sits at the interface of animal physiology, behavioural ecology, and conservation biology, with a strong focus on conservation physiology in a rapidly changing world. 

I investigate how free‑ranging mammals and other vertebrates use physiological and behavioural flexibility to cope with heat stress, food and water limitation, and environmental extremes.  

A central theme of my work is understanding trade-odds between thermoregulation, hydration status, and energy balance under conditions of climate warming, aridity, and habitat transformation, and how these trade-offs impact animal performance, fitness, and survival.  

I employ innovative techniques through cutting-edge biologging technology to remotely and continuously record body temperature rhythms, activity and microclimate selection in free-living individuals.

These measures allow us to assess animal wellbeing by quantifying nutrition, hydration, reproductive and disease states and provide insights into causality underlying animal movement and resource use.  

My research aims to develop mechanistic predictions of species vulnerability to climate change, providing critical insights for wildlife conservation, biodiversity management, and evidence‑based policy in both natural and human‑modified ecosystems.