Our research focuses on specific questions such as how best to look after our animals, the management, behaviour and welfare of species at the site. Living Coasts provides an extremely valuable scientific resource for research, allowing for the study of species which would be extremely difficult to observe in the wild. Researchers are able to carry out detailed studies into breeding, animal communication and simply the daily behaviour and interactions of our animals.
Each year, Living Coasts hosts placement students who carry out one, or a number of research projects, as part of their undergraduate degree placement year. The student not only carries out a research project but is also incorporated into the Living Coasts team, helping out keepers in daily husbandry routines and presenting keeper talks for visitors. In addition, both undergraduate and postgraduate students from a range of UK universities carry out their dissertation projects on site each year, adding to our knowledge of each species and their behaviour.
Research carried out at Living Coasts has covered topics such as the effect of wave height on the behaviour of our South American fur seals and interactions between species in the Wader’s estuary. We are currently focusing on research investigating environmental enrichment techniques for many of our species.
Please click on the following links to learn more about these projects:

South American Fur Seals (Arctocephalus australis)
African Penguin (Spheniscus Demersus)
Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata)
Wading Bird Interaction
Auk species Interaction