We had another fabulous weekend of sunny weather in Dublin, and with it it was the perfect weekend Native Species Festival in Dublin Zoo.
The Native Species Festival is an annual educational event ran annual by Dublin Zoo to showcase and celebrate Ireland's native wildlife and habitats.
The event is designed to have something for all ages and this year was no different.
Dr Pepijn Luijckx (Discipline of Zoology) brough waterfleas and other insect samples for visitors to view both on display and on microscope slides, so visitors could get a closer look at these little critters.
Trinity's Biodiversity officer Colm Ennis brought a collection of specimens native to Irish ponds including newts, tadpoles and other creatures that share their habitat. It was fascinating to get an up close view of these creatures swimming around and interacting, and also see some of their natural predators who were kept in separate jars.
Diego Bianchi (Botany PhD Researcher) brought along his 'Fungi Galaxies', a collection of stunning images, and samples of unusual looking native fungi that grow in some stunning space-like colours and structures.
