Tom Quirke, a second year ZEPS ( School of BEES ) PhD student, is examining how different husbandry techniques (e.g. enclosure sizes, feeding regimes, breeding movements and group configurations) affect the behaviour of captive cheetah in a number of different zoological institutions worldwide.  Having already carried out research at Fota Wildlife Park (where more than 185 cubs have been born since 1985) and a number of British zoos, Tom is spending this summer at the world renowned Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre in South Africa and the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia, before further research in Canada and USA in 2011.  The Ann Van Dyk (formerly De Wildt) Cheetah Centre has one the best records for breeding cheetahs in captivity in the world and has up to 100 cheetahs present at a given time, while CCF provides a good contrast to 'normal zoos' because of the large semi-wild enclosures.  To ensure the optimal psychological, physiological and behavioural well being of captive animals, environmental enrichment (e.g. providing novel odours or objects) is important.  Through the introduction of a range of new enrichment treatments, Tom hopes to promote more natural behaviours and reduce abnormal stereotypical behaviour, with the ultimate aim of attaining a more behaviourally healthy and reproductively viable captive cheetah population.

Tom is funded by IRCSET and a National University of Ireland Travelling Scholarship and is supervised by Dr Ruth Ramsay. Tom’s research abroad has only been possible with the funding from the NUI Travelling Scholarship.

 The photo, taken by Tom, shows a female cheetah in South Africa .

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