Mel Young

Mel Young, also known as Melanie Young, is a conservation biologist and ecologist based at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Her specialist research focused on understanding the diet, dispersal and foraging behaviors of yellow-eyed penguins.
Career
In 2013 Young was a Ranger with the New Zealand Department of Conservation based on Otago Peninsula. The peninsula is noted for its yellow-eyed penguin population. Her primary focus has been on yellow-eyed penquins. In 2018 Young was one of the key note speakers at the New Zealand Vetenary Association's Wildlife Conference.
In 2019 Young was one of the seven person campaign team behind Team Hoiho, which resulted in the yellow-eyed Penguin being named New Zealand bird of the year. By 2021 Young was a Technical Advisor for the Department of Conservation on yellow-eyed penguins.
Education
Young became involved with yellow-eyed penguin conservation and research in 2005. She completed a Master of Science on the productivity of yellow-eyed penguins at the University of Otago in 2014. This involved using hatch rates, chick survival rates, and the mass of chicks to predict how birds and breeding success might be impacted by changes in the marine environment. She worked as a biodiversity ranger for the Department of Conservation for a number of years. Her work involved monitoring and managing yellow-eyed penguin populations in the Otago region. Mel is currently completing a doctorate at the University of Otago. This involves using satellite trackers to map the foraging behaviors at sea of yellow-eyed penguins. Young has co-authored over fifteen papers and presentations since 2009.

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