Perthshire student to study jaguars in the Mayan jungle

Crieff woman tackling marathon walk to raise cash for university research project

A Crieff student is currently embarking on a 230-mile walk to raise money for a project which will involve studying jaguars and pumas in the Mayan jungle.

Molly Crookshank, a third year student at Edinburgh Napier, is studying animal biology and is taking part in the gruelling walk from Fort William to Cape Wrath with her 28-year-old sister, Emily, over 18 days.

The 21-year-old former Morrison’s Academy pupil has raised £1,260 of a target of £2,000. She hopes to reach the required sum to enable her to do research for her final year project in the Mayan jungle in Mexico, called Operation Wallacea.

She said: “I will be studying the abundance and distribution of large mammals – jaguar and puma – in relation to habitat characteristics and hunting in the Mayan forest.

“Operation Wallacea is a conservation research organisation funded project which relies on student volunteers joining expeditions. It gives students a chance to research abroad and follow their passion of getting an insight of the real world and what their future holds.

“Throughout the six weeks, ecologists, academic researchers and field specialists will advise me on my final year project which will complete my degree.”

Her father Charles said: “Molly has always had a passion for animals and this grows ever stronger with the knowledge she has gleaned on her degree course. In December, she completed an advent run when she ran 1km for every day of advent and ended up running 25km on Christmas Day. She ran a total of 325km.”

Molly’s sister Emily is an artist who has exhibited her work at the Royal Academy and now lives in London.

I will be studying the abundance and distribution of large mammals – jaguar and puma – in relation to habitat characteristics and hunting in the Mayan forest. MOLLY CROOKSHANK

Molly Crookshank, right, and sister Emily at Kinlochewe, and the Mayan jungle in Mexico.