Nina Dehnhard
she/her
Seabird ecologist
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)
Discipline
Behaviour, Conservation, Reproductive Biology & Life History, Migration & Movement Ecology, Toxicology, Project Management
Regional Focus
North Atlantic, specially Sklinna (Norway); previously also Falkland Islands and Antarctica
Years Active
11-15 years
Species Focus
Auks (Alcidae), Sea ducks and allies (Anatidae), Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), Petrels and Shearwaters (Procellariidae), Penguins (Spheniscidae), Gannets and Boobies (Sulidae)
Tell us about your work with seabirds.
I started my career off on tropical Chrstimas Island (Master thesis), followed by a detour to the Falkland Islands (PhD) and Antarctica (post-doc), and have now finally landed in the North Atlantic. Boobies, tropicbirds, penguins and petrels as study species have thus been shifted out with auks, gulls, fulmars and shags. My current work is focused on applied seabird research, mostly on spatial overlap between human interests and seabirds, e.g. offshore oil, gas and wind development, kelp harvesting in the coastal zone, but also plastics in seabirds. During spring and summer, I am busy doing fieldwork on Sklinna, central Norway as part of the SEAPOP pogramme.
What advice would you offer to individuals aspiring to pursue a career as seabird scientists?
Be engaged. Get out in the field. Take opportunities and make the most out of them. Don't give up :-)
Nina Dehnhard wearing a blue fleeze jumper standing on Hr�sey in Eyafj�rdur, North Iceland, with a northern fulmar chick in her hands. The Fjord and mountains are in the background. The fulmar chick was part of a study monitoring chick growth and survival.
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