I am a PhD candidate at the University of Exeter, investigating the use of markers and monitors in wildlife research. I am using social research methods to discover how researchers make decisions about device-use, and what they consider to be the priorities for improving welfare.
As an undergraduate, I studied wildlife ecology and was exposed to the historic and contemporary techniques used to collect data. It became clear that identifying individuals by applying a visible marker or a remote monitor, was going to become the standard for much wildlife research in the future, though at the time (1990s) there was little discussion about the possible effects of these devices, either on the science or on animal welfare. I went on to complete an MSc. in animal behaviour and welfare, which broadened my understanding of animal welfare in companion and farmed individuals.