Louise Hayward

I have often watched wild animals fitted with various identifiers (tags, leg rings), GPS monitors and bio-loggers, and wondered about possible impacts on their behaviour and welfare. This year (2020), I am embarking on research to discover more about the use of these wildlife monitoring devices. I studied wildlife ecology as an undergraduate before completing an MSc. in animal behaviour and welfare. My combined interests in wildlife and animal welfare make this project a natural fit for me.

I have worked as an animal carer and animal science lecturer before spending a number of years as a humane educator for a welfare charity. I am now a primary science specialist, working in schools in the North of Scotland. I am fortunate to live in a wildlife-rich area, containing many species that are nationally rare. It is understandable that conservationists and researchers want to monitor populations such as these to assess their status and guide policy. I am hoping to find out more about how scientists make decisions about device-use and report this in an accessible way so that people can share expertise and improve welfare.