Kara Stokes

I am an honours student at the MAVE Lab in the University of Wollongong.

I was born and raised in Sydney and grew up by the water. I have loved all things ocean for as long as I can remember. My parents tell me this all started at the age of two, brushing a dolphin’s teeth at Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary.

Skip to today, I completed a Bachelor of Marine Science as a Deans Scholar student in 2024, at the University of Wollongong. Currently I’m undergoing SCUBA diving courses to reach my Dive Master Certification and Honours to explore my deep passion for the conservation of marine mammals.

Supervisors: Dr Katharina Peters (UoW), Dr Frédérik Saltré (BEAM), Dr Clarissa Teixeira (Oregon State University)

My research

Project Title: Synthesising Stable Isotope Data to Explore Global Variation in Odontocete Isotopic Niches
Why: Odontocetes (toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises) occupy and influence our oceans in different ways, as they range from apex predators to opportunistic mesopredators. Our understanding of odontocete foraging ecology is incomplete without a global comparative analysis across species and ecosystems. Such an analysis is necessary to enhance our understanding of marine ecosystems and inform conservation strategies on a global scale.
Difficulties: Odontocetes are generally difficult to study as they are highly mobile across oceans with little to no physical boundaries, occupy deep waters making observations difficult, and often rely on strandings for dietary information.
My solution: My project compiles the first global isotopic database for odontocetes, used to examine large-scale patterns in isotopic niche width and space i.e., a time-integrated proxy for diet and habitat use across species and latitude.
The aftermath: Not only will this advance our understanding of odontocete foraging strategies and ecological plasticity but also establish a valuable baseline for detecting temporal changes in response to a changing ocean

My interests

Cetacean foraging ecology and trophic niche
Climate impacts on marine organisms
Marine mammal conservation
Ecological modelling

Fun facts

Outside of research, I enjoy underwater photography, whale watching and camping.

I spent the first 18 years of my life dancing. Growing up in such a creative industry combined with a passion for marine conservation, has led to my love of sharing wildlife media.