Dr Thomas Quirke
Contact Details:
- School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences
- t.quirke@ucc.ie
- 353 21 490 4650
Dr Tom Quirke is the Senior Demonstrator in the School of BEES at UCC. He is also responsible for coordinating the transition year programme. Tom conducted his PhD research at UCC in conjunction with Fota Wildlife Park and other zoological institutions and conservation organisations across the UK, Canada, South Africa and Namibia. His research focused upon the behaviour of cheetahs in captivity. Specifically, Tom studied how husbandry practices and enclosure design influence the prevalence of species-specific behaviour as well as abnormal behaviour. Dr. Quirke also conducted comparative research on cheetahs in the wild and carried out multiple environmental enrichment experiments aimed at improving the behavioural diversity and welfare of cheetahs in captivity. Dr Quirke’s research has helped to enhance our knowledge of environmental enrichment and the welfare of cheetahs and other felids in zoos and other captive settings.