For the Media
Surname pronunciation: 'Zah-den-ick' (Zah like BonanZA)
Title: Dr
(Please use it in all written/video introductions of me.)
Primary Affiliation: BirdLife Australia
Secondary Affiliation: Australian Reptile Academy
Job Title: Ecologist; Urban Birds Program Coordinator
Time-zone: AEST (Brisbane, Australia).
Here are profile pic options
of me you can use. Credit is in the file names.
I am available for expert interviews on the following topics:
Urban Bird Conservation
Backyard Birds
Aussie Bird Count
Woogaroo Forest
Snakebite
Snake behaviour
Human-snake conflict
Snake venom
Palm Cockatoos
Death Adders
Old-growth tree conservation
Wildlife conservation
Animal intelligence
A note on ethics: I will not participate in any media story containing sensationalism or fear-mongering regarding snakes, as this is never factually correct and exacerbates the human-snake conflict.
Experience with the media
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Interviewed hundreds of times, 51 of which in 2023 alone, including 12 TV interviews.
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Interviewed 8 times live on ABC TV News,
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Featured on 9 TV show episodes:
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ABC's Landline
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Built to Survive (2 episodes) (Emmy Award winner)
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Under Investigation with Liz Hayes (Brown Snake episode)
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Gardening Australia (airing in end-2026)
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Netflix's The Nature of Music episode
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ABC's Catalyst (venom episode)
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Channel 10's The Project
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Run Science Communication and Media Training workshops (paid) for conferences/orgs
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Collaborated with Jaana Dielenberg (Biodiversity Council) to deliver one such workshop for the University of Queensland's Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science in April 2026.
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Received 2 weeks intensive media training from the ABC as the reward for winning their ABC Top Five Scientists award (3% winning rate)
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Communications Lead for:
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Australian Reptile Academy (6+ years)
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IUCN Snake Specialist Group (4+ years)
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Gourmet Gumleaves Project (2+ years)
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Save Woogaroo Forest Group (co-lead) (2+ years)
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Actively manage 9 social media accounts across BlueSky, Insta, Fb, and YouTube
Some media highlights
Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales
Live interview at the World Science Festival (Brisbane) in April 2024. Sold-out event. 1000 tickets. $69/ticket. Two others interviewed: NASA astronaut, heart surgeon.
Channel 9, Under Investigation with Liz Hayes
Snake expert comment on an unsolved murder case involving a man who shot his wife in the back, claiming to have been trying to kill a snake instead.
All in the Mind podcast, live onstage
World Science Festival (Brisbane) in April 2024.
live Death By Birding podcast
At BirdLife Southern Qld's Galah event (Dec. 2024). This was very last-minute, as the original guest was Qld's former Chief Scientist, Professor Hugh Possingham, but his flight was delayed. I had 30min notice before being interviewed live.
Channel 10 TV interview
Feb 2023, re my research on how snakes can hear airborne sounds. The media splash for this research reached 779M people, with an advertising equivalent of $12.1M for the Uni. of Qld.
live ABC Breakfast interview
Feb 2023, by Michael Rennie. Regarding my research on how snakes can hear airborne sounds. The media splash for this research reached 779M people, with an advertising equivalent of $12.1M for the Uni. of Qld.
Live ABC TV News interview
2Jan'25, regarding the 35% increase in '000' calls for 'snakebite' in NSW in 2024. I take the opportunity to promote snake safety, coexistence, and correct snakebite first-aid to the 734,000 everyday Australians.
7 News TV interview on snakes
In 2023, this TV interview revolved around heat waves and the effect they may have on snake movement, behaviour, and encounters with humans. Here, I take the opportunity to demonstrate the proper 1st-aid for snakebite in Australia (including all sea snakes).
Provided expert opinion on ABC podcast and article re snakes
On ABC's 'What the Duck' podcast and accompanying ABC online article.
Provided expert opinion for online article re snake safety
"Our snakes are no joke to handle. Our venomous snakes move incredibly rapidly and when they feel like they need to defend themselves, they will do so quicker than you can blink an eye," Dr Zdenek said."
Onscreen with Emmy-Award winning series, 'Built to Survive'
Consultation and onscreen talent provided.
Onscreen with Emmy-Award winning series, 'Built to Survive'
Wildlife consultation and onscreen talent provided.
ABC TV interview re Death Adders
22Nov.2018, Magnetic Island, discussing research on Death Adders to improve the human-snake conflict on the island. Aired on local free-to-air TV in Townsville, Qld.
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BrisScience Comedy Spectacular
1 of 4 scientists chosen to 'perform' on stage for this sold-out event (300 tickets sold). My team won, so we're posing here with the MC, Dr Joel Gilmore.
For the 2025 #AussieBirdCount, I represented BirdLife Australia in a pre-recorded TV interview on Channel 7 (free-to-air), which lasted 3min59s. This interview occurred 3 days after I started working for BirdLife Australia.