Rebecca Spindler

Rebecca Spindler (born in Melbourne) is an Australian zoologist, researcher, and conservationist. She is the head of science and conservation at non-profit conservation organisation Bush Heritage Australia, and an adjunct professor at the University of New South Wales. She previously worked with the Taronga Conservation Society and was the manager of research and conservation at Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

Career After completing her doctorate, Spindler left Australia for 10 years, working at the Smithsonian Institution in the United States and at the Toronto Zoo in Canada. During this same period she established the Neotropical Carnivore Initiative and with colleagues throughout the Americas, embarking on a multidisciplinary program aimed at improving the health, reproduction and conservation of jaguars.

In 2007, she joined the team at Taronga as manager of research and conservation, coordinating and facilitating the research of the zoo science team investigating wildlife health, ecology, behaviour, reproduction, genetics and nutrition. Spindler also helped Taronga protect species and their habitats through the Taronga Field Conservation Grants.

Spindler was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2026 King's Birthday Honours in recognition of her "significant service to conservation science, to wildlife reproduction research, and to biodiversity protection".

Publications

Peer-reviewed papers

Book chapters