Dr Freyja Watters

ARC Grant-Funded Researcher A

School of Biological Sciences

College of Science


Current research
I am an ARC grant-funded postdoctoral researcher with the Wildlife Crime Research Hub. My current work focuses on the national–international interface of wildlife trade governance, and the conservation and biosecurity risks posed by both legal anf illicit domestic trade. I have particular interests in examining the online wildlife trade, in reducing the opacity of trade regulation through clearer rules and more complete documentation of what is traded, and in improving the quality and openness of trade data so that it can be readily accessed and analysed. Alongside this, I currently contribute to a range of collaborative projects and data acquisition efforts that aim to build the evidence base needed for effective enforcement and policy.
 
PhD research
My PhD examined the effectiveness and equity of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) across its first 50 years. Through four studies, the thesis uncovered several critical insights: shifting taxonomic trends in Appendix I and II listing proposals alongside inconsistent uptake of advice from the Secretariat, IUCN and FAO; the underused potential of Appendix III as a tool for gathering trade data and securing national protections; persistent inequalities in participation at CITES Conferences of the Parties (CoPs) that amplify the influence of larger, better-resourced delegations; and highlighting that non-CITES wildlife trade, particularly in the United States, is larger and more diverse than the regulated trade, exposing significant regulatory gaps. Together, this work identifies where CITES could be strengthened to better protect endangered species worldwide.

Date Position Institution name
2025 - ongoing ARC Grant-Funded Researcher (A) Adelaide University

Year Citation
2026 Broadbridge, J., Watters, F., & Cassey, P. (2026). Unruffling the global feather trade: a comparative analysis of CITES and LEMIS records of feathers and bird skins. Wildlife Biology, 2026(1), e01553-1-e01553-12.
DOI
2026 Watters, F., & Cassey, P. (2026). Fifty years of CITES listings: evolving criteria, trends, and listing outcomes. Biodiversity and Conservation, 35(1), 35-1-35-25.
DOI
2025 Michael Marshall, B., Alamshah, A. L., Cardoso, P., Cassey, P., Chekunov, S., Eskew, E. A., . . . Hughes, A. C. (2025). The magnitude of legal wildlife trade and implications for species survival.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 122(2), e2410774121.
DOI Scopus16 WoS16 Europe PMC3
2025 Toomes, A., Stringham, O. C., Moncayo, S., Hill, K. G. W., Maher, J., Watters, F., . . . Cassey, P. (2025). The pet trade of native species outside of their natural distributions within Australia is a biosecurity risk. Conservation Science and Practice, 7(1), e13298-1-e13298-14.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2025 Marshall, B. M., Strine, C. T., Gore, M. L., Eskew, E. A., Stringham, O. C., Cardoso, P., . . . Hughes, A. C. (2025). Mapping the global dimensions of US wildlife imports. Current Biology, 35(16), S0960-9822(25)00878-4.
DOI Scopus3 WoS4 Europe PMC2
2023 Stringham, O. C., Maher, J., Lassaline, C. R., Wood, L., Moncayo, S., Toomes, A., . . . Cassey, P. (2023). The dark web trades wildlife, but mostly for use as drugs. People and Nature, 5(3), 999-1009.
DOI Scopus18 WoS15
2023 Li, Y., Blackburn, T. M., Luo, Z., Song, T., Watters, F., Li, W., . . . Wang, S. (2023). Quantifying global colonization pressures of alien vertebrates from wildlife trade. Nature Communications, 14(1), 12 pages.
DOI Scopus10 WoS9 Europe PMC3
2022 Stringham, O., Maher, J., Lassaline, C., Wood, L., Moncayo, S., Toomes, A., . . . Hill, K. (2022). The dark web trades wildlife, but mostly for use as drugs.
DOI
2022 Watters, F., Stringham, O., Shepherd, C. R., & Cassey, P. (2022). The U.S. market for imported wildlife not listed in the CITES multilateral treaty. Conservation Biology, 36(6), 1-14.
DOI Scopus28 WoS28 Europe PMC11
2021 Ramsey, D. S. L., Watters, F., Forsyth, D. M., Wood, M., Todd, C. R., Molsher, R., & Cassey, P. (2021). Long-term fertility control reduces overabundant koala populations and mitigates their impacts on food trees. Biological Conservation, 253, 1-11.
DOI Scopus6 WoS4
2021 Watters, F., Ramsey, D., Molsher, R., & Cassey, P. (2021). Breeding dynamics of overabundant koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations subject to fertility-control management. Wildlife Research, 48(7), 663-672.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4

Year Citation
2026 Huffer, D., Watters, F., Swearingen, T., Toole, K., & Cassey, P. (2026). Closing the border on Australia’s domestic elephant ivory trade.
DOI
2025 Watters, F., & Cassey, P. (2025). Strengthening Global Trade Regulation Through Targeted Listings on CITES Appendix III.
DOI
2022 Watters, F., Stringham, O., Shepherd, C., & Cassey, P. (2022). The demand for wildlife not protected by the CITES multilateral treaty.
DOI

Connect With Me

External Profiles

Other Links