Mike Bull world expert on sleepy lizards (and their ticks) from 35 years study near Burra in South Australia
David Attenborough sought out Flinders University professor Mike Bull and his lizard expertise for the BBC television series Life in Cold Blood.
Flinders University professor Mike Bull was a giant of scientific research for amassing over 35 years one of the world’s most comprehensive long-term datasets on the ecology of the sleepy lizard – mostly gathered from spring field trips to his study site near Burra in South Australia.
Twice (2011, 2017) nominated for South Australian scientist of the year and awarded the gold medal of the Ecological Society of Australia (2001), Bull was passionate about understanding the unique characteristics of his subject species and about enabling more effective ways of conserving them.
Born in Cambridge UK and immigrating to Adelaide in 1951, Bull grew up in Glen Osmond as an enthusiastic Boy Scout with a passion for nature. Educated at St Peter’s College, he earned his bachelors and honours degrees at Adelaide University. After completing a PhD at the University of Western Australia, he returned to a post at the Flinders University in 1973.
As an honours student, Bull's focus was parasites: the ticks that suck sleepy lizards' blood. He continued this study but also became intrigued with the lizards, publishing 300 scientific papers from field data on the lizards and two associated tick species. He collected the data on flat dry land near Burra that was home to thousands of sleepy lizards.
He found that sleepy lizards lived for 50 years in the wild and had a system of perennial monogamy, getting together in an elaborate annual slow dance. Bull recorded detailed information on the temperature, GPS location and the steps taken every few minutes by the lizards using his custom-made waddleometers. His research group developed conservation management for the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard and Slater's skink.
Nature Foundation SA took on managing a fund to support post-graduate students to continue the legacy of Mike Bull, who died suddenly in 2017 a few days after completing his 35th consecutive field season near Burra. The longest-running lizard survey in the southern hemisphere costs $50,000 each year and relied on community support,
