UKIRSC Marine Mammals
@ukirsc.bsky.social
UK & Ireland Regional Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy
@marinemammalogy.bsky.social
Bringing together postgraduate students studying marine mammals. 🦭🐳🐬🦦🐻❄️
Follow for PhD/post-doc alerts plus funding, grants & jobs!
@marinemammalogy.bsky.social
Bringing together postgraduate students studying marine mammals. 🦭🐳🐬🦦🐻❄️
Follow for PhD/post-doc alerts plus funding, grants & jobs!
Pinned
🐬 Registration is now OPEN for the UKIRSC 2026 Marine Mammal Conference hosted @plymuni.bsky.social 🎓A FREE event bringing together students from across the UK & Ireland to share research, connect, and learn from leading marine mammal scientists. 👇Link below
#UKIRSC2026 #MarineMammals
#UKIRSC2026 #MarineMammals
And shoutout to our UKIRSC committee for organising this year’s conference #UKIRSC26 🙌
@beth-harvey.bsky.social @oshuwilson.bsky.social @miahurst.bsky.social @eva-mariab.bsky.social @isha-just-isha.bsky.social @rebeccahdudley.bsky.social @crday-reader.bsky.social @ellenlhayward.bsky.social
@beth-harvey.bsky.social @oshuwilson.bsky.social @miahurst.bsky.social @eva-mariab.bsky.social @isha-just-isha.bsky.social @rebeccahdudley.bsky.social @crday-reader.bsky.social @ellenlhayward.bsky.social
January 17, 2026 at 3:17 PM
And shoutout to our UKIRSC committee for organising this year’s conference #UKIRSC26 🙌
@beth-harvey.bsky.social @oshuwilson.bsky.social @miahurst.bsky.social @eva-mariab.bsky.social @isha-just-isha.bsky.social @rebeccahdudley.bsky.social @crday-reader.bsky.social @ellenlhayward.bsky.social
@beth-harvey.bsky.social @oshuwilson.bsky.social @miahurst.bsky.social @eva-mariab.bsky.social @isha-just-isha.bsky.social @rebeccahdudley.bsky.social @crday-reader.bsky.social @ellenlhayward.bsky.social
That’s a wrap for #UKIRSC26! Thank you to everyone who came to Plymouth for our 20th Annual UKIRSC Conference! It was a pleasure meeting everyone and hearing all of the amazing presentations! 🦭🐬🐋
January 17, 2026 at 3:07 PM
That’s a wrap for #UKIRSC26! Thank you to everyone who came to Plymouth for our 20th Annual UKIRSC Conference! It was a pleasure meeting everyone and hearing all of the amazing presentations! 🦭🐬🐋
Finally our winner for the Bernie McConnell Prize for Innovation was @ecostone1.bsky.social “An automated method to rapidly estimate pinniped body volume at scale for population monitoring” 🏆🦭
January 17, 2026 at 2:53 PM
Finally our winner for the Bernie McConnell Prize for Innovation was @ecostone1.bsky.social “An automated method to rapidly estimate pinniped body volume at scale for population monitoring” 🏆🦭
Our winner for best poster at #UKIRSC26 was our very own @miahurst.bsky.social “An automated method for polynya detection using a geomorphon algorithm” 🏆🧊
Thank you to Seiche and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to Seiche and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
January 17, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Our winner for best poster at #UKIRSC26 was our very own @miahurst.bsky.social “An automated method for polynya detection using a geomorphon algorithm” 🏆🧊
Thank you to Seiche and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to Seiche and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
Our winner for best long talk at #UKIRSC26 was our very own @oshuwilson.bsky.social “Projected shifts in Southern Ocean humpback whale distribution under a changing climate” 🏆🐋
Thank you to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
January 17, 2026 at 2:47 PM
Our winner for best long talk at #UKIRSC26 was our very own @oshuwilson.bsky.social “Projected shifts in Southern Ocean humpback whale distribution under a changing climate” 🏆🐋
Thank you to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
Our winner for best short talk at #UKIRSC26 was Josh Symes “Risso’s dolphins of the South-West” 🏆🐬
Thank you to @prstats.bsky.social and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to @prstats.bsky.social and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
January 17, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Our winner for best short talk at #UKIRSC26 was Josh Symes “Risso’s dolphins of the South-West” 🏆🐬
Thank you to @prstats.bsky.social and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to @prstats.bsky.social and Whales et al. ART for sponsoring this prize!
Our runner up for best poster at #UKIRSC26 was Ethan Wrigglesworth “The impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals on the male reproductive physiology of the harbour porpoise”
Thank you to British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) for sponsoring this prize!
January 17, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Our runner up for best poster at #UKIRSC26 was Ethan Wrigglesworth “The impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals on the male reproductive physiology of the harbour porpoise”
Thank you to British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) for sponsoring this prize!
Our runner up for best long talk at #UKIRSC26 was Emily Martens-Oberwelland “Royal Fish, Sea Monsters, and the great Leviathan: Whales in Seventeenth Century England” 🐳
Thank you to ReWild swimwear and @thembauk.bsky.social for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to ReWild swimwear and @thembauk.bsky.social for sponsoring this prize!
January 17, 2026 at 2:13 PM
Our runner up for best long talk at #UKIRSC26 was Emily Martens-Oberwelland “Royal Fish, Sea Monsters, and the great Leviathan: Whales in Seventeenth Century England” 🐳
Thank you to ReWild swimwear and @thembauk.bsky.social for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to ReWild swimwear and @thembauk.bsky.social for sponsoring this prize!
Our #UKIRSC26 Conference prize winners have been announced! First up, we’ve got the runner up for best short talk: @dasweeney.bsky.social “Using mark-recapture models to understand goose-beaked whale residency in Southern California” 🌊
Thank you to @infohackit.bsky.social for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to @infohackit.bsky.social for sponsoring this prize!
January 17, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Our #UKIRSC26 Conference prize winners have been announced! First up, we’ve got the runner up for best short talk: @dasweeney.bsky.social “Using mark-recapture models to understand goose-beaked whale residency in Southern California” 🌊
Thank you to @infohackit.bsky.social for sponsoring this prize!
Thank you to @infohackit.bsky.social for sponsoring this prize!
Stine Omdahl Petersen (@stine.op.bsky.social) compares how climate change is causing diverging distribution responses for minke whales and white-beaked dolphins in the North Sea. 🌊🐬 #UKIRSC26
January 16, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Stine Omdahl Petersen (@stine.op.bsky.social) compares how climate change is causing diverging distribution responses for minke whales and white-beaked dolphins in the North Sea. 🌊🐬 #UKIRSC26
‘Humpback to the future’! @oshuwilson.bsky.social projects how Southern Ocean humpback whale distributions might shift southward by the end of the century.🐋 #UKIRSC26
January 16, 2026 at 11:21 AM
‘Humpback to the future’! @oshuwilson.bsky.social projects how Southern Ocean humpback whale distributions might shift southward by the end of the century.🐋 #UKIRSC26
Patrick Kagerer shares a study on harbour seal haul-out behaviour in the Wadden Sea to help improve the accuracy of population size estimates. 🦭📈 #UKIRSC26
January 16, 2026 at 11:12 AM
Patrick Kagerer shares a study on harbour seal haul-out behaviour in the Wadden Sea to help improve the accuracy of population size estimates. 🦭📈 #UKIRSC26
Charli Grimes discusses the social ontogeny of resident killer whales, exploring how lifelong social bonds form and change from early life through maturity. 🐋🤝 #UKIRSC26
January 16, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Charli Grimes discusses the social ontogeny of resident killer whales, exploring how lifelong social bonds form and change from early life through maturity. 🐋🤝 #UKIRSC26
Inspiring keynote from Dr Clare Embling on her career journey so far 🐬🐳
From porpoises to sperm whales, PhD & postdoc tips, insights into predator–prey interactions and impacts of noise. A brilliant, honest look at building a career in marine mammal science. #UKIRSC26 @plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
From porpoises to sperm whales, PhD & postdoc tips, insights into predator–prey interactions and impacts of noise. A brilliant, honest look at building a career in marine mammal science. #UKIRSC26 @plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
January 16, 2026 at 9:52 AM
Inspiring keynote from Dr Clare Embling on her career journey so far 🐬🐳
From porpoises to sperm whales, PhD & postdoc tips, insights into predator–prey interactions and impacts of noise. A brilliant, honest look at building a career in marine mammal science. #UKIRSC26 @plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
From porpoises to sperm whales, PhD & postdoc tips, insights into predator–prey interactions and impacts of noise. A brilliant, honest look at building a career in marine mammal science. #UKIRSC26 @plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Amy-Jo Randalls (@pintofangrybees.bsky.social) uses photo ID and citizen science to investigate common dolphin site fidelity and whether Loch Broom serves as a vital nursery area. 🐬🍼 #UKIRSC26
January 15, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Amy-Jo Randalls (@pintofangrybees.bsky.social) uses photo ID and citizen science to investigate common dolphin site fidelity and whether Loch Broom serves as a vital nursery area. 🐬🍼 #UKIRSC26
Claire Stainfield shows us how "Rootpainter," an open-access AI tool, can automate drone image processing to monitor grey seal populations without disturbance. 🚁🦭 #UKIRSC26
January 15, 2026 at 1:38 PM
Claire Stainfield shows us how "Rootpainter," an open-access AI tool, can automate drone image processing to monitor grey seal populations without disturbance. 🚁🦭 #UKIRSC26
Ag Czernecka evaluates the recovery of the Baltic grey seal, assessing its ecological functionality and the potential impact of seal-fishery interactions. 🦭🐟 #UKIRSC26
January 15, 2026 at 1:31 PM
Ag Czernecka evaluates the recovery of the Baltic grey seal, assessing its ecological functionality and the potential impact of seal-fishery interactions. 🦭🐟 #UKIRSC26
Josh Symes at @exetermarine.bsky.social is tracking Risso's dolphins in the UK's south-west, using photo ID to reveal site fidelity and core social alliances within this sub-population. 🐬📸 #UKIRSC26
January 15, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Josh Symes at @exetermarine.bsky.social is tracking Risso's dolphins in the UK's south-west, using photo ID to reveal site fidelity and core social alliances within this sub-population. 🐬📸 #UKIRSC26
Presenting on biodiversity, David Sweeney (@dasweeney.bsky.social) kicks off our Population session by using Bayesian mark-recapture models to better understand the residency patterns and population dynamics of goose-beaked whales in Southern California. 🐋📉 #UKIRSC26
January 15, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Presenting on biodiversity, David Sweeney (@dasweeney.bsky.social) kicks off our Population session by using Bayesian mark-recapture models to better understand the residency patterns and population dynamics of goose-beaked whales in Southern California. 🐋📉 #UKIRSC26
Closing our first session, Grace F. Bradley
(gracebradley99.bsky.social) explores how interannual climate variability
influences the abundance and distribution of baleen whales in the Mid North
Atlantic 🐳☀️ #UKIRSC2026
(gracebradley99.bsky.social) explores how interannual climate variability
influences the abundance and distribution of baleen whales in the Mid North
Atlantic 🐳☀️ #UKIRSC2026
January 15, 2026 at 12:07 PM
Closing our first session, Grace F. Bradley
(gracebradley99.bsky.social) explores how interannual climate variability
influences the abundance and distribution of baleen whales in the Mid North
Atlantic 🐳☀️ #UKIRSC2026
(gracebradley99.bsky.social) explores how interannual climate variability
influences the abundance and distribution of baleen whales in the Mid North
Atlantic 🐳☀️ #UKIRSC2026
Gemma A. S. Bekki is looking at how multiple gliders with
hydrophone arrays can be used to detect and localise sperm whales in the
Mediterranean 🐳📣 #UKIRSC2026
hydrophone arrays can be used to detect and localise sperm whales in the
Mediterranean 🐳📣 #UKIRSC2026
January 15, 2026 at 11:56 AM
Gemma A. S. Bekki is looking at how multiple gliders with
hydrophone arrays can be used to detect and localise sperm whales in the
Mediterranean 🐳📣 #UKIRSC2026
hydrophone arrays can be used to detect and localise sperm whales in the
Mediterranean 🐳📣 #UKIRSC2026
Evie White is sharing new insights into the spinner dolphins of Peros Banhos, using whistle characterization to understand this remote and unique population. 🐬 #UKIRSC2026
January 15, 2026 at 11:44 AM
Evie White is sharing new insights into the spinner dolphins of Peros Banhos, using whistle characterization to understand this remote and unique population. 🐬 #UKIRSC2026
Nikolina Sokcic is diving into the acoustic cues that drive
humpback whales to interact with herring fishing vessels in Norway. Are they
eavesdropping for a free lunch? 🐋🐟#UKIRSC2026
humpback whales to interact with herring fishing vessels in Norway. Are they
eavesdropping for a free lunch? 🐋🐟#UKIRSC2026
January 15, 2026 at 11:39 AM
Nikolina Sokcic is diving into the acoustic cues that drive
humpback whales to interact with herring fishing vessels in Norway. Are they
eavesdropping for a free lunch? 🐋🐟#UKIRSC2026
humpback whales to interact with herring fishing vessels in Norway. Are they
eavesdropping for a free lunch? 🐋🐟#UKIRSC2026
Presenting from afar is Udayanga Sampath @udayanga-sampath.bsky.social ! He’s talking about using passive acoustic monitoring to
detect and classify dolphin whistles in the remote Chagos Archipelago 🐬🏝️
#UKIRSC2026
detect and classify dolphin whistles in the remote Chagos Archipelago 🐬🏝️
#UKIRSC2026
January 15, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Presenting from afar is Udayanga Sampath @udayanga-sampath.bsky.social ! He’s talking about using passive acoustic monitoring to
detect and classify dolphin whistles in the remote Chagos Archipelago 🐬🏝️
#UKIRSC2026
detect and classify dolphin whistles in the remote Chagos Archipelago 🐬🏝️
#UKIRSC2026