Sanna Titus

Collaborating with both Branco and Margrie labs, Sanna’s research focuses on spatial navigation throughout the phylogenetic tree. A broad taxonomic range is studied at the Zoological Society of London’s London and Whipsnade Zoos, comparing resource navigation, enclosure use and memory. Sanna is also involved in a separate project developing a research pipeline on Fiddler crab navigation and neuroscience. She is responsible for curating crabitats and maintaining captive populations of Fiddler crabs (Afruca tangeri, formerly also Paraleptuca crassipes). Acquiring behavioural video data both in the lab and in-situ (south Portugal), she employs machine learning to track animals and evaluate path integration. Her previous projects reflect this multidisciplinary and multi-species approach; beginning her research career examining cognition and vision processing in Cetaceans and Pinnipeds, she transitioned throughout her BSc at the University of Washington to study marine invertebrate larval metamorphosis, chemistry, and vocal learning in zebra finches. For her MSc at the Royal Veterinary College, she entered the world of zoo research and conducted her dissertation on the epidemiology and effects of management on elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) excretion in Asian elephants. Her other research interests include genetics, wildlife management and welfare.