Sofie Fytche

My dissertation was on the behavioural effects of reptiles and amphibians being housed in a multi-species exhibit. 

I did behavioural observations on four different species in a 20ft multi-species exhibit in Exotics of the World in Cleethorpes. I observed two Burmese pythons, a maned forest dragon and four painted chorus frogs, and four Borneo- file-eared frogs. I was measuring whether their behaviour changed when they were in proximity to each other and I found that there were anti-predator responses to the Burmese pythons being in close proximity to them. This is a good thing as it means they can prevent predation and stress induced behaviours, and they can avoid each other in this big enclosure. I also found that the two Burmese pythons were spending a lot of time in really close proximity. They would be resting, touching each other- lots of physical contact and they would spend a lot of time together. This shows elements of choosing to be together, rather than just an actual tolerance. 

My favourite thing about my UCBB journey was definitely the friends that I have made, and also the course has led me down a path of learning what I want to do in the future. Through doing my dissertation and everything I have done for the last three years, has really led me to want to become a researcher and do research full time which has been really rewarding. Especially doing my dissertation, it’s given me those skills to go out and do it and apply them in the industry.

I would definitely recommend UCBB. It’s a smaller campus so you get to have one-on-one relationships with your lecturers, which you wouldn’t get at a bigger university. The courses are great, the assignments are really handy and give you industry skills to apply in the real world. It’s just a really good place to learn.