Dr Trevor McIntyre is a research fellow in the Department of Zoology and Entomology. His main research interest lies in understanding how the behaviours of animal species are likely to adapt to human-induced changes in their environment. He seeks to understand what the fitness effects and ultimately the population-level effects of such behavioural changes are.
Most of his research has focused on southern elephant seals on Marion Island in the Southern Ocean. Satellite-linked devices are deployed on elephant seals to record not only their movements when they go on their long foraging migrations of up to eight months at sea, but also data on their dive behaviour and on the physical characteristics of the water masses in which they forage.
The African clawless otter is another animal species that has the potential to provide insight into behavioural adaptations to the environment. These animals are seemingly well adapted to surviving in a broad range of habitats and climatic regions, only requiring a steady supply of freshwater. Dr McIntyre has initiated a research programme aimed at gaining an understanding of the comparative health and behaviour of otter populations. This has resulted in several more applied projects, notably an ongoing study related to the potential impact of otters on the fly-fishing industry.
