The Fascinating World of Reptiles

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Reptiles create fear and fascination among us humans- more than any other living group of animals do. Although we usually see them as nothing but scaly or scary creatures, they play a vital but usually ‘silent’ role in our ecosystems and societies.

Join us to learn from Dr Ruchira Somaweera on his experiences in working on and conserving reptiles around the world.

Dr Ruchira Somaweera (Ru) is an evolutionary biologist with a broad interest in how reptiles adapt to a changing world—having completed his PhD at the University of Sydney working on crocodiles, Ru worked as a Research Scientist at Australia’s national science institute -CSIRO. He is currently the PrincipalEnvironmental Scientist at Stantec Australia.

Ru’s current research projects range from landscape-level impact studies in Western Australia to sea snake diversity in the Indian Ocean, crocodile ecology in the remote Australian outback, and reptiles of Komodo national park in Indonesia, to snake bites in Sri Lanka. Ru’s work has led to many research publications and four books on herpetology. As a National Geographic Explorer and a scientist of the STEM Professionals in School program of the Australian government, Ru is actively involved in inspiring the general public and the next generation of biologists on wildlife and nature conservation.