Alyx Milne, 27, an animal trainer at Blackpool Zoo, has
become the first person to be awarded a master's degree for her research into
sea lion whiskers. It was quite interesting that Milne combined her work at the
zoo with her MSc degree at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Since the time Milne was five years old and went on holiday
to SeaWorld in Florida, she is in love with mammals. Her job has worked so well
for her studies that she has even achieved distinction in her research, which
was on the motor neuron abilities of sea lions' whiskers.
As per Milne, the motor neuron abilities of sea lions'
whiskers are quite sensitive. Due to these abilities, they can pick up
vibrations in water to find the fish. Her research paper has been published in
the Comparative Physiology Journal.
Milne said, "From the moment I was splashed by a killer
whale while visiting SeaWorld, Florida, I knew that I was going to be a 'Shamu'
trainer one way or another". Now, Milne is planning to attain doctorate
degree.
Due to the presence of nerve fibers in their whiskers, sea
lions are quite sensitive. Milne shared that major part of research was to
working with sea lions at the zoo.
Many debates have been conducted on the ancestry of eared
and true seals. It is considered that eared seals and walruses have evolved 30
million years ago in the North Pacific from bear-like creatures.
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