With a strong passion for marine conservation and a background in shark research, I wanted to broaden my knowledge on other marine species, which from October of 2019 included dolphins! As a scuba diver, I feel it is my responsibility to contribute towards protecting our oceans and marine life. I try to live a sustainable lifestyle and encourage my friends and family to do so too. I was intrigued by the Montenegro Dolphin Research project as they were the first to document the annual sightings of cetaceans in this region. They also work within pubic outreach, aiming to encourage the local community to care more about their coastline and species which inhabit it.
I’ve only just started and have already learnt so much, including how to consolidate dolphin sightings using a density heat map on GIS, how to use a theodolite during land surveys, how to categorise dolphin behaviours and how these behaviours may be affected by marine vessel activities. I can’t wait to develop more transferable skills for a future career as a researcher within marine ecology.
