Name: Miss Rebecca Allen
Job Title: Course Manager & Lecturer.
Address: Cornwall College Newquay, Centre for Applied Zoology, Wildflower Lane, Trenance Gardens, Newquay, TR7 2LZ
Tel: + 44 (0)1637 857957
Email: rebecca.allen@cornwall.ac.uk
2004 to Present: Programme Manager & Lecturer.
2000 to 2003: Lecturer.
Marine vertebrate surveys
This project was designed to give students experience in offshore surveying techniques. Through the year we have surveyed the coast between St Agnes and Trevose head. This gave students experience in spotting, identifying and recording marine species (cetaceans, seals and marine birds) and also a real insight into the trials and tribulations of boat-based research. The data collected is reported back to the Cornwall Seal Group and Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Net injuries in Cornish Seals
This project is being undertaken with the Cornwall Seal Group Cornwall Seal Group. We are compiling data on the frequency of entanglement injuries seen in Grey seals and examining the effect of this on individuals (with the use of photo ID data.)
This research has been compiled into a report and submitted to the Marine Pollution Bulletin for publication it is currently under review.
It has also formed the basis for a poster presentation which I gave at the European Cetacean Society conference this year.
Grey Seal Photo ID
Seals are perhaps the most accessible and familiar of Britain's marine mammals. Of our two native species: the Common Seal Phoca vitulina and the Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus; only the Grey breeds around the Cornish Coast.
The Cornish population is much smaller than those inhabiting the coasts of Wales and Scotland; i.e. numbers in the hundreds rather than thousands. Their numbers are mostly limited by the availability of suitable pupping sites - there are few beaches which are inaccessible to humans and as a result the seals breed in sea caves around the coast.
Grey seals have patterns of marking which are unique to each animal thus making them suitable subjects for Photo ID studies. I have built up a catalougue of ID'd individuals which then feeds into the Cornwall seal Group database.
Rebecca's details were last updated on 2nd Apr 2012