People - Team Profiles
Morgan O'Connell
Director
Bachelor of Science
Founder of Biologic, Morgan has undertaken over 120 field surveys throughout Western Australia and Queensland. From this vast amount of field work, Morgan has developed knowledge of most plant, reptile, avian, amphibian and mammal species in the Pilbara bioregion. His professional value lies in the combination of knowledge on fauna ecology and the State and Federal approvals process. He understands the importance of deliverables with purpose, i.e. reports that meet the end product requirements.
Morgan has specialist experience with threatened fauna in the Pilbara region, having undertaken numerous surveys for Pilbara leaf-nosed bat, Ghost bat, Northern Quoll, Mulgara and Pilbara Olive Python. This includes undertaking a regional survey to map available Ghost Bat roosting habitat in the Hamersley Ranges. In the last few years, Morgan has managed some of the most intensive fauna surveys in Western Australia. He is currently managing most of the vertebrate fauna surveys associated with the largest and fastest expansion effort in the Pilbara region for the world’s largest miner.
Morgan also oversees all the safety management procedures for Biologic. Morgan has developed comprehensive Health, Safety and Environment Management Systems and Safe Work Procedures for all work undertaken by Biologic. Morgan and the Biologic team have an impeccable safety record, and all staff have extensive experience in remote areas and have worked for the majority of mining clients in Western Australia.
Brad Durrant
Principal Zoologist / Manager Invertebrate Zoology
Bachelor of Science; Graduate Diploma in Environmental Management
Brad has over 15 years experience working with marine and terrestrial invertebrates. Prior to joining Biologic in 2011, Brad was employed with the Department of Environment and Conservation (formerly CALM), the Western Australian Museum and the Northern Territory Museum.
Brad has spent much of the last 12 years working on ground-dwelling invertebrates on some of the largest biological surveys undertaken in the country, in the Wheatbelt and Pilbara regions. Brad also has experience with surveying salt lake invertebrates, Short-range Endemic (SRE) fauna and threatened trapdoor spiders in the Wheatbelt, Midwest and Pilbara regions, and taxonomic experience with spiders, ants and scorpions. He has written and co-authored papers on these three groups in the Pilbara region.
For three years Brad has been providing specialized scientific advice on SRE fauna, threatened invertebrates and subterranean fauna to the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (OEPA), DEC (Environmental Management Branch, Native Vegetation Conservation Branch, Threatened Species and Communities Branch and Regional Services), local government, environmental consultancies, and resource and development companies. During this time Brad has provided advice and guidance on more than 50 projects, ranging from Shire road realignments to some of the largest, and most controversial, resource projects in the state, including Chevron’s Gorgon project, Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s Mesa A and the Kimberley LNG Hub.
This experience places Brad in the best possible position to direct and advise clients about how to best meet regulatory requirements, identify potential issues and how to pro-actively address these issues for SRE fauna, subterranean fauna and threatened invertebrates.
Thomas Rasmussen
Senior Zoologist
Studying part-time towards a Bachelor of Science
Thomas joined the Herpetological Society as a young child and has been undertaking fauna trapping surveys ever since. He has over seven years experience in environmental consulting and during this time he has undertaken more than 20 level 2 trapping surveys in the Pilbara alone.
Thomas has excellent reptile and mammal identification skills and has mastered the analysis of ANABAT recordings using ANALOOK. He has particular interest in remote sensing and monitoring using acoustic recording devices, cameras and video cameras. He is currently working on camera modifications that should provide many additional benefits to clients attempting long-term monitoring of conservation significant fauna. Thomas also volunteers his survey skill for organizations such as WWF.
Morgan O'Connell
Director
Bachelor of Science
Founder of Biologic, Morgan has undertaken over 120 field surveys throughout Western Australia and Queensland. From this vast amount of field work, Morgan has developed knowledge of most plant, reptile, avian, amphibian and mammal species in the Pilbara bioregion. His professional value lies in the combination of knowledge on fauna ecology and the State and Federal approvals process. He understands the importance of deliverables with purpose, i.e. reports that meet the end product requirements.
Morgan has specialist experience with threatened fauna in the Pilbara region, having undertaken numerous surveys for Pilbara leaf-nosed bat, Ghost bat, Northern Quoll, Mulgara and Pilbara Olive Python. This includes undertaking a regional survey to map available Ghost Bat roosting habitat in the Hamersley Ranges. In the last few years, Morgan has managed some of the most intensive fauna surveys in Western Australia. He is currently managing most of the vertebrate fauna surveys associated with the largest and fastest expansion effort in the Pilbara region for the world’s largest miner.
Morgan also oversees all the safety management procedures for Biologic. Morgan has developed comprehensive Health, Safety and Environment Management Systems and Safe Work Procedures for all work undertaken by Biologic. Morgan and the Biologic team have an impeccable safety record, and all staff have extensive experience in remote areas and have worked for the majority of mining clients in Western Australia.
Brad Durrant
Principal Zoologist / Manager Invertebrate Zoology
Bachelor of Science; Graduate Diploma in Environmental Management
Brad has over 15 years experience working with marine and terrestrial invertebrates. Prior to joining Biologic in 2011, Brad was employed with the Department of Environment and Conservation (formerly CALM), the Western Australian Museum and the Northern Territory Museum.
Brad has spent much of the last 12 years working on ground-dwelling invertebrates on some of the largest biological surveys undertaken in the country, in the Wheatbelt and Pilbara regions. Brad also has experience with surveying salt lake invertebrates, Short-range Endemic (SRE) fauna and threatened trapdoor spiders in the Wheatbelt, Midwest and Pilbara regions, and taxonomic experience with spiders, ants and scorpions. He has written and co-authored papers on these three groups in the Pilbara region.
For three years Brad has been providing specialized scientific advice on SRE fauna, threatened invertebrates and subterranean fauna to the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (OEPA), DEC (Environmental Management Branch, Native Vegetation Conservation Branch, Threatened Species and Communities Branch and Regional Services), local government, environmental consultancies, and resource and development companies. During this time Brad has provided advice and guidance on more than 50 projects, ranging from Shire road realignments to some of the largest, and most controversial, resource projects in the state, including Chevron’s Gorgon project, Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s Mesa A and the Kimberley LNG Hub.
This experience places Brad in the best possible position to direct and advise clients about how to best meet regulatory requirements, identify potential issues and how to pro-actively address these issues for SRE fauna, subterranean fauna and threatened invertebrates.
Thomas Rasmussen
Senior Zoologist
Studying part-time towards a Bachelor of Science
Thomas joined the Herpetological Society as a young child and has been undertaking fauna trapping surveys ever since. He has over seven years experience in environmental consulting and during this time he has undertaken more than 20 level 2 trapping surveys in the Pilbara alone.
Thomas has excellent reptile and mammal identification skills and has mastered the analysis of ANABAT recordings using ANALOOK. He has particular interest in remote sensing and monitoring using acoustic recording devices, cameras and video cameras. He is currently working on camera modifications that should provide many additional benefits to clients attempting long-term monitoring of conservation significant fauna. Thomas also volunteers his survey skill for organizations such as WWF.
Dr Stewart Ford
Principal Zoologist / Manager Vertebrate Zoology
PhD (Zoology), University of Western Australia
Stewart has over ten years of experience as a fauna consultant, during which time he has managed over 50 surveys in the Pilbara bioregion, half of which have been undertaken for BHPBIO or its joint ventures. During Stewart’s PhD he developed excellent analytical skills and specialist experience in data analysis. This translates into well-executed and technically sound biological surveys for environmental impact assessment leading to documentation that stands up to close public, stakeholder and regulator scrutiny. One project undertaken in the Mid-West involved compilation and analysis of data from over 100 fauna trapping sites.
Stewart has worked across much of the State, developing skills in locating and managing many species of conservation significance, with particular expertise in surveys for Northern Quoll, Pilbara Olive Python, Mulgara and Egernia stokesii. This has extended to the implementation of management strategies and plans for these species, some of which have incorporated ongoing population monitoring and/or relocation of individuals.
He has a particular interest in the birds of the world and photography, with his photos appearing in many works of natural history.
Dr Jessica Oates
Senior Ecologist
PhD (Zoology), University of Western Australia
Jessica has over 10 years experience in undertaking both terrestrial and marine fauna surveys, biological assessments and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for a range of projects in the Pilbara, Swan Coastal Plain, South West, Wheatbelt and Gascoyne areas.
She also has a broad knowledge of the management of flora, vegetation, wetlands, drainage, coastal and riverine environments as well as the statutory obligations and approvals process for developments with environmental impacts at both the state and federal level. Jessica has published and continues to do so in the scientific literature and presents at national and international conferences.
Jessica has managed some of the largest marine turtle programs in Western Australia including BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s proposed Outer Harbour Development and Chevron Australia’s Gorgon Gas Development on Barrow Island.
She also has specialist experience in mammal ecology, having undertaken her PhD on the Honey Possum and Pygmy Possum, while in her consulting career she has undertaken targeted surveys for the threatened Western Ringtailed Possum, Mulgara, Bilby and Northern Quoll.
Photo: Brian Bush
Brad Maryan
Senior Zoologist/ Herpetologist
Brad has published over 47 papers on reptile distribution, behaviour, ecology, reproduction and threatening processes in journals such as Herpetofauna, WA Naturalist and Monitor. He has also co-authored many important identification books with his publications sitting in most consultants’ libraries. His most significant co- authored field guides are:
- A field guide to the Reptiles and Frogs of the Perth Region;
- Reptiles of the Southwest – In the Bush; and
- Snakes & Snake-like Reptiles of the WA Pilbara & Goldfields.
Brad has particular interest in the Lerista genus having discovered new species belonging to this genus and contributing to many descriptions of new species. He has extensive experience with conservation significant Lerista such as L. nevinae and L. eupoda.