Dr Simon Childerhouse BSc, DipWLM, PhD

Expertise and research interests

I am a marine mammal biologist with expertise in population demographics and the estimation of abundance. I previously worked as a marine mammal scientist for the New Zealand Department of Conservation for more than 10 years, with a focus on marine mammal conservation and protection. My Ph.D. was at the University of Otago on the Conservation biology of New Zealand sea lions, looking at population ecology and demographics. I have attended the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission for more than 10 years, including 8 years as head of the New Zealand delegation and as Chair of IWC Sub-committees on Southern Hemisphere humpback whales and Southern Hemisphere whale stocks. I am presently an Executive Officer of the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium.

The focus of my work within the Australian Marine Mammal Centre is in developing and co-ordinating the Southern Ocean Research Partnership (SORP). The aim of this Partnership is to develop a multi-lateral, non-lethal scientific research programme that will improve the coordinated and cooperative delivery of science to the Scientific Committee and the Commission of the International Whaling Commission.

Selected publications

Childerhouse, S.; Dawson, S.; Fletcher, D.; Slooten, E. and Chilvers, L. 2010. Growth and reproduction of female New Zealand sea lions. Journal of Mammalogy 91(1).

Childerhouse, S.; Dawson, S.; Slooten, E.; Fletcher, D. and Wilkinson, I. 2010. Age distribution of lactating New Zealand sea lions: inter-annual and inter-site variation. Marine Mammal Science 26(1): 123-139.

Childerhouse, S. and Baxter, A. 2010. Management of human interactions with dusky dolphins In: B. Wursig and M. Wursig (eds.) Dusky Dolphins: Master Acrobats of Different Shores. Academic/Elsevier Press. Pp. 245-275.

Constantine, R.; Russell, K.; Gibbs, N.; Childerhouse, S.; Baker, S. 2007. Photo-identification of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in New Zealand waters and their migratory connections to breeding grounds of Oceania. Marine Mammal Science 23(3): 715-720.

Branch, T.A. and 39 co-authors. 2007. Past and present distribution, densities and movements of blue whales Balaenoptera musculus in the Southern Hemisphere and northern Indian Ocean. Mammal Review 37: 116-175.

Chilvers, L., Wilkinson, I., Childerhouse, S. 2007. New Zealand sea lion, Phocarctos hookeri, pup production - 1995 to 2006. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 41: 205-213.

Campbell, R.; Chilvers, L.; Childerhouse, S.; Gales, N. 2006. Conservation Management Issues and Status of the New Zealand (Phocarctos hookeri) and Australian (Neophoca cinerea) Sea Lion. In: Trites, A.; Atkinson, S.; DeMaster, D.; Fritz, L.; Gelatt, T.; Rea, L.; Wynne, K. (eds.). Sea lions of the world. Alaska Sea Grant College Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks. pp. 58-74.

Slooten, E.; Dawson, S.; Rayment, W.; Childerhouse, S. 2006. A new abundance estimate for Mauis dolphin: What does it mean for managing this critically endangered species? Biological Conservation 128 (4): 576-581.

Childerhouse, S.; plus 62 co-authors. 2006. Comments on the Government of Japans Proposal for a Second Phase of Special Permit Whaling in Antarctica (JARPA II). Journal of Cetacean Research and Management.

Slooten, E.; Dawson, S.; Rayment, W.; Childerhouse, S. 2005. Distribution of Mauis dolphin Cephalorhynchus hectori maui. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2005. May 2005.

Childerhouse, S., Gibbs, N., McAlister, A., McConnell, H., McConkey, S., McNally, N., Sutherland, D.2005. Distribution, abundance and growth of New Zealand sea lion Phocarctos hookeri pups on Campbell Island 2003. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 39: 889-898.

Childerhouse, S., Dickie, G., Hessell, G. 2004. Ageing live New Zealand sea lions Phocarctos hookeri using the first post-canine tooth. Wildlife Research 31: 177-181.

Bradford-Grieve, J., Probert, K., Nodder, S., Thompson, D., Hall, J., Hanchet, S., Boyd, P., Zeldis, J., Baker, A., Best, H., Broekhuizen, N., Childerhouse, S., Clarke, M., Hadfield, M., Safi, K., Wilkinson, I. 2003. Pilot trophic model for Sub-antarctic water over the Southern Plateau, New Zealand: a low biomass, high transfer system. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 289: 223-262.

Clapham, P., Berggren, P., Childerhouse, S., Friday, N., Kasuya, T.,  Kell, L., Kock, K., Manzanilla-Naim, S., Notabartolo Di Sciara, G., Perrin, W., Read, A., Reeves, R., Rogan, E., Rojas-Bracho, L., Smith, T., Stachowitsch, M., Taylor, B., Thiele, D., Wade, P., Brownell, R. 2003. Whaling as Science. BioScience. 53 (3): 210212.

Childerhouse, S., Dix, B., Gales, N. 2001. Diet of New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) at the Auckland Islands. Wildlife Research 28: 291-298.

Childerhouse, S., Gales, N. 2001. Fostering behaviour of New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri). New Zealand Journal of Zoology 28: 189-195.

NcNally, N., Heinrich, S., Childerhouse, S. 2001. Distribution and breeding of New Zealand sea lions Phocarctos hookeri on Campbell Island. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 28: 79-87.

Wilkinson, I., Childerhouse, S., Duignan, P., Gulland, F. 2000. Observations of cannibalism in New Zealand sea lion. Marine Mammal Science 16(2): 494-500.

Gibbs, N., Childerhouse, S. 2000. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in New Zealand. Conservation Advisory Science Notes no. 287. Department of Conservation, Wellington, NZ. 35.