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Louise Gannon

Assistant Ecologist
What employment sector do you work in?

Private Sector

How long have you had a green job for nature?

2 years

Please describe the work that you do.

I am an Assistant Ecologist working in an Ecological Consultancy. My job is a mixture of both desk-based work and outdoor work. I have carried out some fun surveys for various mammals, such as badgers, red squirrels and otters. I’ve also been lucky to have assisted on a white-clawed crayfish survey. However, my main surveys are targeting bats. These surveys include identifying potential roosts in trees, bridges and buildings, emergence and re-entry surveys and then reporting on these.

What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes?

I enjoy the variety of surveys available to take part in. I also love that every site is different, so no two days of work are the same.

What inspired you into this career? 

Having grown up on a farm, I’ve always had a keen interest in animals and the environment around me. That interest stuck with me as I grew up.

Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far? 

Sometimes, focusing on one specific species can impact your general knowledge of other sectors (Botany, Birds, etc). There’s just so much to know in each sector, it can be hard to cover all aspects.

What education/training did you have?

I have a BSc. (Hons) in Environmental Science.

I’ve also received in-house training, which is very beneficial as it’s practical and on-the-job training.

I’ve previously volunteered in a raptor research centre taking care of various raptors, and volunteer in the All Ireland Daubenton’s Bat Waterways Survey.

What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession? 

Get an identification book for whatever your interest, get outside and start ID’ing! Or, get a detector (e.g. a bat detector) and start listening! 😆

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Tags: Republic of Ireland, Private sector, Ecologist, Ecological consultant, Ecological surveyor

Date profile submitted: 15/11/2023

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