Presenting MegaMove at ICCB and UQ in Brisbane
Lab Lead Ana Sequeira presented MegaMove findings on Important Marine Megafauna Areas at ICCB in Brisbane and later spoke at the University of Queensland.
In June 2025, our Lab Lead, Assoc Prof Ana Sequeira, travelled to Brisbane to take part in the 32nd International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB). Hosted by the Society for Conservation Biology’s Oceania Region, ICCB is the premier global meeting for conservation scientists and professionals. Attendees engaged in lively discussions and presentations spanning biodiversity conservation, ecology, anthropology, economics, conservation marketing, and more.
Ana presented her recent Science paper from the MegaMove project, an initiative that brought together almost 400 researchers worldwide to map and analyse the movements of marine megafauna. A key focus of her presentation was on Important Marine Megafauna Areas (IMMegAs), which are specific and predictable regions critical for feeding, breeding and migration. Many of these areas remain outside existing conservation frameworks, highlighting the need to align global conservation targets with the ecological requirements of highly mobile marine species.
The conference was also a valuable chance to reconnect with colleagues who focus on conservation work and to exchange ideas on how research can more effectively guide conservation outcomes.
Following ICCB, Ana stayed in Brisbane to give a presentation at the University of Queensland. This session was shared with Catherine Tait, Scientific Editor from the journal One Earth, and included discussions on scientific publishing and conservation communication.
Outside the lecture theatre, Ana explored the UQ campus, visited the resident fruit bats and took the “river cat” ferry across the Brisbane River, which was a fitting reminder of how cities and nature can co-exist.