Student research

Students from third level institutions also conduct research at Dublin Zoo, ranging from undergraduate level to PhD level. Below are some examples of the research carried out in Dublin Zoo in 2010.

 “Changing social groups in zoo populations” - Jenny Wilde, PhD student, Trinity College Dublin

The aim of this PhD is to examine methods of changing social groups in order to come up with robust guidelines on how to manage these changes successfully. In 2010, the worldwide survey of changes in zoo groups was completed and an in-depth report drawn up. A paper entitled “The behaviour of a zoo-housed juvenile orangutan following the death of its mother” was accepted for publication in Zoo Biology. A second paper on the orangutans entitled, “The behavior of three female zoo-housed Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) following changes to their social group structure” was submitted to the International Zoo Yearbook. A third paper on Dublin Zoo’s elephant herd is to be submitted for publication in 2011.

In 2010, a range of undergraduate student projects were carried out, for example:

• The social structure of our Waldrapp ibis flock was studied with respect to biometric data and breeding behaviour
• Resolution of egg-dropping behaviour in flamingos was investigated using microsatelites
• The interactions between our golden lion tamarins and pygmy marmosets were studied
• The influence of feeding and enrichment on the behaviour of the sealions was examined
• An engineering project was conducted on novel heat solutions for the elephant house
• An investigation into the dietary management of zoo Asian elephants  in Dublin Zoo was conducted
• The western lowland gorilla diet in Dublin Zoo was analysed comprehensively.