Hi everyone!
My name is Saoirse and I come from Waterford, a small city in the south of Ireland.
Like many others, I found my love for animals as a child. Within my family, animals and recent scientific discoveries have always been a constant talking point. This made me grow interested in animals behaviour and wellbeing from a very young age.
Although Ireland is surrounded by water, the opportunity to study marine mammals is not very common. However, in 2021 I decided to pursue my passion and began a Master of Science in Animal Behaviour and Welfare at Queen’s University in Belfast.
My studies have led me to focus on what’s most important to me: conservation. Of course I’m interested in all the aspects of conservation, but my main focus is the effect anthropogenic noise can have on marine mammals.
Delfini del Ponente’s internship seemed an amazing opportunity to understand cetacean behaviour and essential research techniques in order to begin my career in conservation research.
P.S. On a personal note, and to hold myself accountable – by the end of the internship I’ll be able to hold a basic conversation and successfully communicate in Italian!
Bye!
Saoirse Kirby