By Tarryn McGuire
The Zoological society in NUI Galway was formed by a group of students who possessed a love for animals of all shapes and sizes. Some of our own zoology lecturers here at NUI Galway were even involved in this society when they were students themselves. The Zoosoc encourages students to join if you have any interest at all in animals or wildlife – the more the merrier!
Zoosoc’s Auditor, Hannah Dominguez McLaughlin, spoke to SIN about Zoosoc and what they have planned for the following year; “We’re really excited for this year because we’re back with some fresh, new ideas.”
“We have a lot of plans for the year, we want to run events that will help to educate people on different animals and research in the field of zoology. We hope to raise awareness about conservation of animals and their environments.”
“One of our biggest goals for the upcoming year is to organise a number of collaborations with other societies and organisations,” Hannah explains. “Zoosoc allows those of us with common interests in zoology to meet one another and make new friends. We cannot wait to organise a big fundraiser this year to help support a group that we believe in.”
Two weeks ago, the society held a talk on snakes, given by John Dunbar, a PhD student specialising in the field of herpetology. He passionately spoke on the topic of snakes and shared his experiences and insights into the world of reptiles.
The following day, the Galway Bat Group came to NUI Galway to take the society on a walk around campus that night, and show them some local bats (who had any idea these little creatures were right on our doorstep?). After a fascinating walk by the river with special equipment used to identify bats by the frequencies of their echo location, the society ended up right outside the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance, where on the walls they could see two bat houses that provided Galway bats with shelter and warmth.
With plenty more events planned for the future such as trips to the zoo and a ‘Face your Fears’ night, this society has an exciting year ahead!
If you have ever found yourself looking to get more involved in a society while also indulging your interest in wildlife, the environment and animals, then look no further. The Zoosoc members are nothing but friendly, inviting and enthusiastic. New members are always welcome, just look up the NUIG Zoological Society on Facebook and give their page a like to get notified of their future events.
