Atlantic Technological University to host 5th All-Ireland Mammal Symposium (AIMS2024) Friday 4 and Saturday 5 October 2024

“Many wild mammals in Ireland are facing increasing conservation pressures, with concerns around the long-term future of several native species such as the red squirrel for example. In contrast, certain other mammal species bring different pressures such as those which require some form of management or control. These include invasive species, for example American mink predating on birds, species which may spread disease to livestock, for example badgers, or cause damage to forestry (deer).

With many of these issues requiring complex solutions, gathering together scientists and practitioners from across the spectrum of academia, government, wildlife charities and consultancies is of the upmost importance in tackling these big questions,” says Dr Allan McDevitt, lecturer and researcher in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, ATU Galway-Mayo.

The 5th All-Ireland Mammal Symposium (AIMS2024) will focus on these subjects over two days in ATU Galway (Dublin Road campus) on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 October.

The All-Ireland Mammal Symposium (AIMS) held its first gathering in 2009 in Waterford, with three further editions occurring up until 2019 in Dublin. With the COVID pandemic restricting the holding of conference events for several years, there was a lengthy hiatus. One of the co-founders of the 2009 event, Dr Allan McDevitt of Atlantic Technological University (ATU), met with Dr Colin Lawton of the University of Galway to discuss resurrecting the conference. This led to the establishment of an organising committee spanning the two universities and including external members from the National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS), Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) and more. With the kind sponsorship of NPWS, VWT, ATU, Galway City and County Councils and consultancies Scott Cawley and MKO, the event was given the go ahead to be held in ATU on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 October (2024).

The conference will gather together 200 people from across Irish Universities, government bodies and industry to deal with the pressing questions relating to Irish mammals. Its main aim is to foster collaboration across these groups, bridging cutting-edge research emerging from Irish Universities to on-the-ground application in terms of monitoring, managing and conserving Irish mammals into the future.

The event will feature more than 60 presentations in talk or poster form, covering every aspect of mammal conservation in Ireland, with every key group of species covered.

On Friday, the opening keynote by Dr Samantha Ball of ATU covers the ecology of hares at Dublin ‘Hareport’, with sessions covering disease in Irish mammals and its implications for domestic animals, and the increasing use of non-invasive genetic methods to monitor mammals and bats. 

The second day, Saturday, is introduced by a keynote from Dr Josh Twining of Oregen State University, USA, on the use of complex models to estimate mammal abundance, with sessions following on marine mammals and squirrels to name a few.
 

Regina Daly, ATU Communications
Tel: +353 (0)91 742826. Mob +353 (0)879618355,
Email: regina.daly@atu.ie  www.atu.ie/news