James Orr is a senior sophister zoology student with a fierce passion for all things nature, ranging from hiking and camping to animal welfare. He is also the current chairperson of Dublin University Zoological Society (ZooSoc) which was set up in 1974 and is geared towards creating a forum for anyone in Trinity interested in zoology.
Speaking to Orr, it immediately becomes clear that the society is not exclusively for those studying zoology but is open to anyone who “loves and appreciates animals and the outdoors”. ZooSoc run campus-wide events that continue to grow in popularity, such as falconry on the Cricket Pitch, unfortunately delayed until next term, and Collie’s Critters, which gives attendees the opportunity to get up close and personal with snakes, spiders and other creepy crawlies.
In recent years, ZooSoc has not only acted as a forum for animal enthusiasts, it has been actively promoting conservation on campus. Orr recognises the ongoing “trouble” concerning the environment and explained how ZooSoc do their best to help. Orr recognised how pertinent this issue is in Trinity, a very small ecosystem surrounded by so much man-made infrastructure.
Recently, the society released a booklet called Birds of Trinity which documents and gives background information on all the species of birds around campus, adding to the increasing number of societies on campus that have created publications. All the profits from the book have been put towards a ZooSoc initiative to conserve the population of swifts on Trinity’s grounds. These fascinating birds once had a large presence on campus, particularly on older structures like the Museum Building. Due to building work and other factors, their population has depleted. ZooSoc are hoping to get a caller for these birds and to build boxes that they can inhabit on some of Trinity’s buildings. The initial sales of the booklet were very successful, and they are still available in the Book of Kells gift shop and the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union’s (TCDSU) shop in House Six.
ZooSoc have planned a very exciting series of events for the coming year. They have already conducted a deer and bat walk in the Phoenix Park in conjunction with Dublin University Photography Association (DUPA), during which attendees could observe the deer rutting as well as bats in their natural habitat. They are also planning a field trip to Glendalough with Dublin University Hiking Society and a trip to Edinburgh Zoo later in November. What Orr is perhaps most excited about is Elizabeth White, director of Frozen Planet and the upcoming sequel Planet Earth 2, who will be visiting the society and giving a talk in January 2017. Orr described Planet Earth as some of David Attenborough’s “best work”, adding that he is really looking forward to getting an insight into how the film was made.
Orr is also an avid nature photographer, taking pictures of anything to do with the outdoors, biology, the climate and geology. In studying zoology, Orr has had lots of opportunities to travel. For example, two years ago he went to Namibia as a volunteer on a wildlife reserve which truly ignited his passion for nature photography. However, he gets equally as much enjoyment going on photography trips closer to home in places like the Wicklow Mountains. He really enjoys “the patience and the silence” that is required for his craft.
Along with four other zoology students, Orr has founded a blog called The Typing TRex. The blog has many different contributors, who all discuss issues relating to the natural world. The aim of the blog is to create a space for “sharing ideas and knowledge” pertaining to nature and science in a way that is palatable to the public. They create short videos and blogs about popular science, and recently released a video about the deer rutting in the Phoenix Park. Orr hopes that people realise that there is a huge amount of wildlife accessible even in Dublin city. Like ZooSoc itself, The Typing TRex hope that their public outreach will get people excited about the environment and the natural world and start to care for it more.
All of Orr’s interests are very diverse, but it is clear that the common theme is science, and more specifically spreading an understanding of it. Orr is really passionate about communicating science to the public through his work with ZooSoc, his photography and The Typing TRex. It’s clear that he recognises its importance and also its power in creating much needed changes in attitudes towards nature and the relationship between humanity and the environment.
