My PhD project is embedded in a collaborative effort between the Marine Mammal Stranding Research group at Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 and SOS Dolfijn, focusing on Cetacean Health Studies, Conservation, Rescue, and Rehabilitation.
Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) are an elusive and cryptic species that are difficult to study in the wild, making adequate protection challenging.
Since 1991, the Netherlands has been legally obliged to maintain the population of the harbour porpoise as a protected species. Stranded animals are rehabilitated at , offering a unique opportunity to learn more about this species through behavioral experiments and animal sample collection.
The collaboration with the Marine Mammal Stranding Research team at Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 enables additional morphological and anatomical investigations using samples collected during necropsy, thereby advancing our understanding of the effects of different stressors on the harbour porpoise population(s).
