Our Team
Dr. Visser is the only researcher specializing in orca in New Zealand waters.
Her research officially began in 1992, when she embarked on her life-long dream to study the orca. Since then she has worked with orca not only around New Zealand, but also in the waters of Antarctica, Argentina and Papua New Guinea. In Argentina, she is the co-founder of the Punta Norte Orca Research project.
Whilst travelling aboard eco-tourism ships or on private expeditions, she has also contributed to orca research projects in Washington, Alaska and British Columbia (all off the west coast of North America), the Kamchatka region of Russia, as well as Iceland (where she worked with the team releasing “Keiko”, the star of the Free Willy movies).
Her work has appeared in various magazines and on numerous documentaries. She has written children’s books, as well as an autobiography Swimming with Orca, which was a finalist in the 2005 NZ Montana Book Awards.
Since the tragic death of the trainer at SeaWorld in Florida in 2010, Ingrid has been actively speaking out for orca held in captivity and was a contributing scientist for the documentary Blackfish. She is a co-founder of the Free Morgan Foundation, working to raise awareness of a wild-born female orca, known as Morgan.
Dr. Visser’s research does not receive Government or University funding, but is run through the non-profit Orca Research Trust, a New Zealand registered Charity. She volunteers all her time for the Orca Research Trust and is supported through donors who kindly contribute to her Patreon page.
Dedicated to protecting the orca, Dr. Visser believes in making science accessible for the general public, and as such she is often seen out in the community giving talks about these incredible apex predators.
The Orca Research Trust is run primarily by Dr. Ingrid Visser. She occasionally receives assistance from the other crew members featured here (and don’t forget to check out the Orca Research Boat).
Terry Hardie
Researcher, Trustee
Born in South Africa, Terry immigrated to New Zealand as a youngster and expanded on his interest in the computer sciences. Founding one of the first publicly-accessible email companies in New Zealand, he was soon head-hunted to the United States of America where he currently resides, although he returns to New Zealand as frequently as he can.
Terry’s skills in the electronic/IT arena make him a valuable asset to a number of orca research projects. For the New Zealand based Orca Research Trust, he is not only a Trustee, but a valued field researcher. Utilizing various types of equipment, Terry’s contribution to the research has enabled us to gain insights into these incredible animals.
He is a co-founder of the Free Morgan Foundation, working to raise awareness of Morgan’s plight as she is used commercially at the entertainment theme park Loro Parque, in Spain.
As an avid photographer and videographer, images taken by Terry for the Orca Research Trust have been published around the world and are continually used to promote the Trust’s mission statement: “To Protect Orca and their Habitat, through Conservation, Education and Scientific Research.”
Wendy Turner
Research Assistant
Starting out as a volunteer, Wendy has been involved with the Orca Research Trust since 2008 when she first helped with the release of the young orca Rakey-Cousteau. Wendy has since been involved in the rescue of other orca, as well as many pilot whales, and the disentanglement of orca and other whales.
With her many boat-handling certifications, Wendy has become a vital part of the on-water team. She was the key boat driver and assistant to Dr. Visser during the filming of the BBC/Discovery Channel Big Wave documentary _The Woman Who Swims With Killer Whales (2011)_ which has screened around the world..
Sarah Dwyer
Researcher
Having grown up mainly in the UK and Ireland, Sarah completed her undergraduate studies at the University of St Andrews, Scotland where she graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Marine and Environmental Biology.
She then moved to New Zealand in 2006. Sarah began volunteering for the Orca Research Trust in 2007 and gained valuable field-work experience with Dr. Visser through a number of projects including cetacean surveys in Papua New Guinea. She also provided support during the filming of the documentary Killer Whales, which features the New Zealand Orca and the Orca Research Trust.
After working with Dr. Visser for more than two years, Sarah has since completed her PhD at Massey University, Auckland under the Coastal-Marine Research Group as part of the New Zealand Common Dolphin Project (NZCDP). While she was out in the field conducting her PhD research, investigating the distribution, density, and fine scale habitat use of common dolphins (Delphinus sp.) in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand, Sarah continued to collect data for the Orca Research Trust. Currently residing on Great Barrier Island she encounters orca when they frequent the area.
Kate Norton
Teacher
In 2007 Kate came to work with the Orca Research Trust during a one-year teacher fellowship. She has been a primary school teacher since 1999 and has helped to develop ideas and presentations for younger children, which she now uses in her classroom. She collaborated with Ingrid to write a book about Nobby the orca, one of the many orca she met during her year working with the Orca Research Trust.
Kate continues to work closely with Ingrid and the orca. She believes in providing children with factual information so they gain an interest in the learning process. The children Kate teaches are often involved with the naming of orca around New Zealand.
Kate has also visited Punta Norte Orca Research in Argentina, of which Ingrid is a co-founder; the location is famous for the orca coming on to the beach to take sea-lion pups.
Heiko Grimm
Research Assistant
Currently based in Germany, Heiko has spent extended spans in New Zealand working closely with the Orca Research Team. He’s assisted with a wide range of projects, from documenting orca out in the field during encounters, to helping with necropsies and providing support for students during their internships with the ORT.
As a keen photographer, his skillset was used during filming for an international documentary with a Japanese film crew, as well as appearing in a scientific article about pseudo-stalked barnacles on New Zealand Pelagic orca, of which he was also a co-author. Currently, Heiko is completing a university degree in Germany, with the intention to return to New Zealand in order to conduct more field work with the orca.
Juan Copello
Researcher, Consultant
Juan lives and conducts most of his research at the famous Punta Norte site, Península Valdés, Argentina, where the orca come onto the beach to take sea lion pups. He grew up on the farm which is home to these incredible orca and has observed them since he was a child. In 2004, he co-founded the Punta Norte Orca Research project in Argentina.
Juan also conducts eco-tours to view the orca of Punta Norte. He and Ingrid have worked together to study the orca in the waters of New Zealand and along the coastline of Argentina for many years now. He periodically returns to New Zealand to assist with orca research and consult with film crews.
Monique Visser
HR Manager
Having worked in Human Resources for more than two decades, Monique brings a range of skills to help the Orca Research Trust. She coordinates our fundraising efforts, our volunteer agreements and works as a liaison for a number of our supporters and sponsors. Monique occasionally accompanies Ingrid out on the water and of course, Falco our team mascot (and her fur-baby) comes along too. She has also helped with the Argentinean Punta Norte Orca Research project and rescues in New Zealand. Oh, and she is Ingrid’s sister, hence the same last name!
Andy Casagrande
Film Maker, Cameraman & Consultant
Andy Brandy Casagrande IV aka (ABC4) is a two-time Emmy Award-winning cinematographer, field producer and television presenter specializing in blue-chip wildlife documentaries around the world. His work has included king cobras, orca, great white sharks and polar bears. Andy’s innovative cinematography and unorthodox camera techniques are helping revolutionize the way the world sees and perceives wildlife. From super-slow motion and thermal-infrared to night-vision and remote-controlled spy-cams, Andy shoots with the most advanced camera technologies on the planet.
He continues to push the boundaries of wildlife filmmaking, shedding new light and perspective into the lives of the planet’s most feared and misunderstood predators. With more than a hundred wildlife films’ credits to his name, Andy has shot and produced films for the world’s top television networks, including National Geographic, BBC, Discovery, ABC, NBC, CBS, Animal Planet, etc.
Andy regularly consults with the Orca Research Team, and has helped us capture incredible footage of the orca.
René Unger
Photographer, Webdesigner
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Falco Visser
Team Mascot & Consultant
Falco is named after Albert Falco, the skipper of Jacques Cousteau’s vessel the Calypso. He is a fun-sized labradoodle who loves balls and boating (especially when he sees orca & ‘dolfriends’). He considers himself to be “a good boy” and loves to monitor the team to ensure they all take ‘patting-rests’. Falco has his own Instagram account (@FalcoWisdom) where he passes on #FalcoFacts. With his personal lifejacket and ‘grab-bag’, he is always ready to head out to sea.
Volunteers
The past and present volunteers who have dedicated their time, energy, money and efforts to help the orca, the Orca Research Trust and Dr Visser have been the back-bone to ensuring that this project continues. We want to acknoweldge their contributions and extend a heartfelt THANK YOU!