Brandon Farrelly

About Brandon

My name is Brandon Farrelly, and I’m originally from Dublin, Ireland. I’m currently working as an educator in Dublin Zoo, and came to Marine Dynamics to see how in-situ conservation work is carried out in a marine environment.
I’ve been interested in marine animals ever since I was quite young, with a particularly big interest in whales and sharks. I also knew from that early point of my life that I wanted to work with animals in some fashion. I completed by BSc in Biology with Maynooth University in 2018 before going on to complete my MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation through Trinity College Dublin in 2020. Being the year that it was, I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to go out into the world to gain some field experience, but was fortunate enough to fall into my role in Dublin Zoo in late 2022!
For almost 6 months between the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024, I’ve spent time in Sri Lanka and South Africa to build on my conservation field experience. In Sri Lanka, I worked with the SLWCS for nearly 4 months to see how they manage human-elephant conflict in the remote, rural area of Wasgamuwa in central Sri Lanka. And of course, I came to Marine Dynamics in South Africa to gain some experience in marine conservation! My role as an educator involves discussing conservation work with students of all ages, so I felt it was important for me to have that first-hand experience in order to be able to teach about it as authentically as possible!
This internship has been incredibly enlightening! I have learned so much about sharks and other marine wildlife, as well as the methods used to study and protect these animals and their environments. The entire programme is super comprehensive, and all the staff are so helpful, kind, and accomodating. I highly recommend it to anyone studying natural sciences with an interest in marine biology. My only regret is that I couldn’t stay longer!