Additional Links:
My photography gear (also needs an update)
My scuba diving & snorkelling gear (needs an update)
My travel gear (I’ll create this soon!)
Upcoming trips with MMF and Aqua-Firma
Hi! I’m Simon.
I’m a marine conservation biologist and ocean wildlife photographer from New Zealand.
I’m the Executive Director of the Marine Megafauna Foundation, which I co-founded with Dr Andrea Marshall. As a scientist, I’m primarily known for conservation-orientated research on whale sharks around the world – leading to a textbook on the species, ‘Whale Sharks: Biology, Ecology, & Conservation’ – and helping to popularise photo-identification studies on sharks and rays. My MMF bio is here. I’m a member of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group, and a Director of the Sawfish Conservation Society.
I did a BSc in Ecology at Victoria University of Wellington, then moved to Brisbane for a BSc (Hons, 1st Class) and PhD from The University of Queensland in Australia. I currently have a part-time appointment as a Research Fellow with the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, where I’m working with critically endangered grey nurse sharks.
I’m an enthusiastic diver, wildlife-watcher and photographer, specialising in endangered ocean wildlife. I use these photos and videos to support conservation initiatives and scientific expeditions. I work with Sony NZ as a Digital Imaging Advocate, leading photo walks and workshops in NZ and online. My Sony bio is here.
My work (science and / or photography) has been featured in a range of high-profile media outlets, including National Geographic, BBC, New York Times, Washington Post, The Guardian, Nature, Science, New Scientist, BBC Wildlife, and many others.
I host public research, diving, snorkelling, general wildlife-watching and photography trips around the world, mostly for MMF and Aqua-Firma.
I’m sporadically active on the socials, generally Facebook (personal & public accounts) & Instagram, though my favourite ‘social media’ by far is iNaturalist.
My wife Madeleine and I – with regular appearances from a neighbour’s cat, who we call ‘Merp’ because that’s how she announces herself – live in the marine wildlife wonderland of Kaikoura, on the northeast South Island of New Zealand. We’re posting some local wildlife updates on our ‘Wild Kaikoura’ FB and Instagram accounts.
If you’d like to stay updated on what I’m up to, you can join my newsletter list (see the bottom of the page.)
Thanks for stopping by!