Amelia is one of our amazing long-term volunteers on Skokholm Island. For National Marine Week, we asked Amelia about her experience volunteering on Skokholm, her journey into marine conservation and why she is passionate about protecting marine life.
"My initial interest in marine biology stems from rock pooling in Cornwall as a child, identifying various crabs, fish, and anemones with my family, but marine biology as a career option was never discussed in school and it was soon written off as just a fun holiday activity. However, when I was 18, I backpacked across Southeast Asia and saw some incredible marine life, from sea turtles and manta rays to whale sharks and thresher sharks and I rediscovered my love for the sea, completing several scuba diving qualifications along the way. I subsequently studied Biological Sciences at University and attended numerous zoology lectures which made me realise that a career in wildlife conservation might be possible. So, to make sure it was the right path for me, I accumulated as much experience as possible in both terrestrial and marine environments. I conducted seagrass surveys, bird surveys, intertidal species surveys, BioBlitz surveys, and seaweed searches for various organisations and also started bird ringing at the weekends. Now as an avid bird ringer, scuba diver, and beach cleaner/surveyor, I’m hoping to combine my interest in birds and marine biology to contribute to seabird research and conservation."
"As a long-term volunteer on Skokholm Island, I have already learnt so much about seabird behaviour, ecology, and population monitoring by conducting various surveys around the island. We are monitoring the breeding success of fulmars to measure their productivity; using a call-back methodology to survey crevices in the rock face for storm petrel nests, and counting the number of sand eel deliveries brought to pufflings by their parents (and sometimes stolen by other species before they can reach their target). We also participate in bird ringing at the observatory which provides hugely valuable data about adult survival and breeding success. One of my favourite activities to date has been colour-ringing the adult puffins with unique identifying rings which can be read in the field year after year and inform us about their over-winter survival. Of course, there are the less glamorous activities as well which are part and parcel of island volunteering but cleaning the toilets isn’t so bad when you see a hummingbird hawk-moth on nearly every trip!"
"I absolutely love nudibranchs; their amazing different colours and patterns which act as an epic warning to predators, coupled with their powerful sensory organs which allow them to smell food, pheromones and detect certain threats, give these tiny organisms an allure that I just cannot resist. I think these sea slugs are hidden gems of the ocean and it’s incredibly cool that they can practise autotomy like lizards can, leaving behind parts of their body to save the essential bits. One of my favourite species in the UK is the solar powered sea slug (Elysia viridis) which lives the sustainable life we all aspire to – storing photosynthetic algae and managing to survive on light energy alone! A slightly more beautiful species that has only recently been recorded in the British Isles is the rainbow coloured sea slug Babakina anadoni – a tiny but very beautiful species I would love to see in person one day on one of my many rockpool rambles!"
www.underwaterpics.co.uk - Dan Bolt
"I'm incredibly passionate about protecting our seas and the wildlife that lives there because the marine environment holds a special place in my heart. I have been lucky enough to witness the beauty and diversity of marine life up close both beneath and above the waves and these experiences have instilled in me a deep appreciation for the delicate balance of our oceans and the incredible array of species that depend on it for their survival. Whilst scuba diving with manta rays I have had the most peaceful experience of my life, watching these gentle giants glide through the water, but I have also seen the awful consequences of human pollution with plastic bags floating in the water like jellyfish and coral reefs bleached from vibrant oranges and reds to pure deathly white. I firmly believe that we all have a responsibility to protect our oceans (given that we depend on them for our own survival) but the sense of freedom I feel by the sea, listening to the waves and feeling the spray on my face, only enhances my personal desire to look after it."
Inspired by Amelia's Skokholm experience? Find out more about our volunteer opportunities!
