Alphonse
From left to right: George Curd, Christopher Narty, and Gail Fordham

Conservation Officer

Gail Fordham

Gail is responsible for the management of the Alphonse Group Protected Areas, above and below water. She leads the Conservation Centre team, implements monitoring of habitats and associated threatened species, coordinates research projects and provides environmental advice to partners. Prior to this, she was based in the UK where she graduated with a Distinction from a Conservation Biology MRes, building upon her Geography BSc. Subsequently, she secured the post of Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Sussex, leading a GIS project investigating primate speciation in the Neotropics. Committed to working in the defence of nature, Gail started out in 2014 volunteering with various NGOs in granitic Seychelles for extended periods; including on Cousin Island, and Aride Island with ICS, where she developed essential field techniques and data skills; as well as completed Advanced Open Water SCUBA training. Gail enjoys peaceful moments on St. Francois atoll, counting waders and terns.

Assistant Conservation Officer

George Curd

George is from the UK and joined ICS at the start of 2019, he assists in all aspects of running the Alphonse Conservation Centre. After completing a BSc in Biology, he spent eight months with the RSPB on a Practical Conservation Volunteer Internship, gaining experience in varied habitat management and qualifications in chainsaw use and off-road driving. George went on to become a Greenspaces Officer with the Kent High Weald Partnership, responsible for implementing the management plans of two Woodland Nature Reserves, and leading a team of community volunteers. One of Georges interests is playing the bagpipes, but rather than bring this instrument to a small and quiet island, he’s instead been trying his hand at the ukulele. George’s favourite place is sitting on a moonlit beach, with the sound of a green turtle nesting behind him during evening patrols.

Senior Conservation Ranger

Chris Narty

Chris (also known as Topher) is Seychellois. He attended the Maritime Training Centre (MTC) on Mahé in 2000 to 2002. As part of his training he worked for 6 months on the IDC supply vessels visiting the outer islands of the Seychelles. Whilst at MTC he also completed his PADI Divemaster training, following which he went to work as a Divemaster on Alphonse Island for two years. He continued to gain experience of the waters surrounding the Seychelles by working as a dive guide on liveaboard vessels in the outer islands and as a kayaking guide around Praslin and La Digue. His love of the natural world has grown through these experiences and he is happy to be using his keen eye for wildlife and excellent knowledge of Seychelles flora and fauna in his role as Conservation Ranger with ICS Alphonse. Topher’s current interests include fisheries and sustainability.
Aride

Island Manager

Francis Salomon

Francis first worked on Aride Island as a Ranger and Boat Driver in 2004 and returned in 2018. During his time away, Francis worked as a watch maker in Switzerland. He is a highly skilled mechanic, handy with tools, and an experienced boat driver. While he worked as a Ranger, Francis monitored the breeding success for Fairy Tern, Seychelles Magpie Robin behavior, invertebrates, and sea turtles. At the beginning of 2021, Francis was promoted to the post of Island Manager, responsible for the the overall management of Aride. As an experienced Boatman and mechanic, he continues to mentor new rangers to develop additional skills that are necessary whilst in the reserve. Francis enjoys fishing, reading, and watching films in his time off. He is also an avid diver and snorkeler. His favorite place is Aride, which is why he has returned after his years spent away.

Conservation Officer

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Post soon to be filled 










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Assistant Conservation Officer​

Megan O'Brien

Megan use to work as a volunteer on Aride for nearly 13 months until recently when she applied for the post of Assistant Conservation Officer. She provides vital assistance to the Conservation Officer with the overall management of the terrestrial and marine conservation programs, supervision of ICS staff and volunteers, implementation of the Aride Environmental Management plan, and data analysis and management. Megan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Biology from the University of Glasgow. She has participated in several voluntary research programs relating to biodiversity conservation, animal rescue and community work. In her free time, Megan enjoys solving puzzles, whether it be from a crossword book, board games on an escape room. She has a passion for arts and crafts, especially painting of landscapes.

Conservation Ranger

Ricky Adeline

Ricky has completed an apprenticeship course with the Seychelles Maritime Academy and was also trained as a Chef by the Seychelles Tourism Academy. As a Ranger, Ricky monitors the Seychelles Magpie Robin’s daily behavior and breeding habits. He is also responsible for monitoring breeding success for Brown and Lesser Noddy, invertebrate species, terrapins, and sea turtles. Before coming to Aride, Ricky worked with Dream Yacht Charter as a Deckhand and Technician and as Ranger on Cousin Island with Nature Seychelles. Ricky enjoys surfing, fishing, photography, and crafting. His favorite species is the Seychelles Magpie Robin due to their intelligence and personalities. He is also drawn to the Cuckoo bird for their unique characteristics and appearance.​

Other Staff

The team comprises of 6 more rangers, namely Jules Medor, Jean-Yves Baronne, Liam Padayachy, Nick-Angelo Moncherry, Annie Gendron, Julio Confiance
Gardener/General Helper - Dave Cesar
Cook and Cleaner - Jovanna Uzice
Handyman - Calvin Jacqueline

Desroches
From let to right: Elena Levorato, William McNeely, Jean-Claude Camille, and Laurette Asba

Conservation Officer

Elena Levorato

Elena is originally from Switzerland and started working for ICS in July, 2021. She is a qualified biologist specialised in eco-ethology and chemical ecology after completing a post-graduate degree at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. During her studies, Elena had the chance to collect data in the Red Sea, Egypt, and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, investigating fish behaviour, physiology and cognition. Her first involvement with ICS started in 2019 when she enrolled on the volunteer programme for 3 months on Aride Island. She worked mainly with Aldabra Giant Tortoises, seabirds and Seychelles Magpie-Robins. Elena enjoys travelling across the world and through this passion she is able to embrace new cultures. Through her travels she has joined several internships in the field of biodiversity conservation.  She believes that the Seychelles is home to unique flora and fauna and now more than ever there is an urgent need for everyone to work collectively to conserve and protect the archipelago's exceptional but fragile ecosystems.​

Assistant Conservation Officer

William McNeely

William hails from Switzerland and also joined ICS in July, 2021. He is also a qualified biologist specialised in eco-ethology and chemical ecology after completing a post-graduate degree at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. During his studies, William collected data in the Red Sea, Egypt, and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The data collected was based on fish behaviour, physiology and cognition. Similarly to Elena, William completed a 3 month volunteer programme with ICS on Aride in 2019. He was involved in the monitoring of several key species, such as birds, reptiles and invertebrates. William describes himself as an avid traveler who is keen to discover new cultures. Through his travels he has joined several internships in the field of biodiversity conservation. He believes that there are unique flora and fauna in Seychelles that are worth protecting for future generations. During his spare time, William enjoys taking nature photography and has a collection of photos from various locations where he has previously visited. ​

Senior Conservation Ranger

Jean-Claude Camille

Jean Claude is a born and bred Seychellois from Anse Aux Pins. He has had a range of jobs including chef, mason and painter. His interest in conservation, especially with turtles, sparked a career shift towards conservation in 2008. Initially he gained experience in conservation on D’Arros island where he began as a volunteer with Dr Jeanne A. Mortimer. He later joined ICS as a Conservation Ranger and has worked on Farquhar, Aride, Silhouette and now Desroches. He was promoted to the post of Senior Conservation Ranger at the beginning of 2021. Jean Claude is very hands on and a competent carpenter; this skill set is particularly useful for reconstructing skeletons, and examples can be seen at the Conservation Centres on Desroches and Silhouette. His favourite island is Desroches, in his own words “the island has everything; there are tortoises, turtles, plants, fish, coral and seagrass”. His favourite animal is the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas). 

General Helper

Laurette Asba

Laurette was also born in Seychelles. She has a keen interest in nature and enjoys spending time outdoors. She first joined ICS in 2020 and has been working on Desroches as a General helper. Her daily duties include the general upkeep of the Tortoise Sanctuary, plant nursery and Conservation Centre on Desroches.









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Farquhar
From left to right: Mikael Napoleon, Matthew Morgan, Annabelle Cupidon, Nicky Jean

Conservation Officer

Matthew Morgan

Matthew is responsible for the management of Farquhar Group Protected Areas, above and below water. He leads the Conservation Centre team, implements monitoring of habitats and associated threatened species, coordinates research projects and provides environmental advice to partners. He has a BSc in Marine and Freshwater Biology. Matthew first joined ICS in 2017 as the Conservation Officer on Desroches Island. Before moving to Seychelles, he use to work in Mauritius as a Conservation Biologist on two separate projects, namely the Pink Pigeon Project from 2014 to 2015, thereafter the Echo Parakeet Project from 2015-2017. He is interested in modern technology especially its applicability in biodiversity conservation as a useful tool to increase our knowledge of animals and their environments, ultimately improving conservation management and decision making. Working with ICS fulfils this interest as there are several projects at the forefront of technical design and innovation. His favourite place is the South island of Farquhar Atoll, this area has thousands of Red-footed Boobies nesting at eye level and feels very special to him. The marshes (barachois) fill with the tide and attract large shoals of fish, rays and juvenile sharks.

Assistant Conservation Officer

Annabelle Cupidon

Annabelle is originally from Mauritius and first joined ICS in 2017 as a volunteer on Desroches Island. She is currently assisting in all aspects of running the Farquhar Atoll Conservation Centre. She has a BSc in Biology specialised in Minor Forensic Science and has 4 years’ experience of working as a Conservation Biologist on two separate projects, namely the Pink Pigeon Project from 2014 to 2015, followed by the Echo Parakeet Project from 2015-2017.  Annabelle is interested in wildlife photography and she spends most of her spare time taking photos of the natural landscapes and life, above and below water. Due to the nature of her work, she is in close proximity to the various terrestrial and marine species, which enables her to capture interesting and unique characteristic of the species. Dive sites around Farquhar Atoll are some of her favourite places so far. She describes the diversity of coral and fish to be impressive and that she is so privileged to see that such places still exist, considering the unprecedented global effects of global warming and climate change on our planet.

Conservation Ranger

Nicky Jean

Nicky is Seychellois and grew up in Grand Anse Mahe. After finishing secondary school and participating in the Blue Economy Youth Internship Programme, Nicky completed 18 months at the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA). During his time at SMA he went to three places for work attachment, namely the Seychelles Coast Guard working with the fast response team, Silhouette cruises as a deck hand, and the Seychelles Marine Police as a skipper.  During the last quarter of 2020, Nicky joined ICS and worked on Aride Island as a Ranger. Sometime in April 2021, Nicky was transferred to Farquhar Atoll and is still maintaining his current post. “I really love the work that I’m doing, preserving the animal kingdom and monitoring their growth. When I’m free I just compose music in my room or visit the island on my bicycle” says Nicky. 




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Conservation Ranger

Mikael Napoleon

​Mikael (also known as Napo) is also a Seychellois, from the Takamaka district on Mahe. After leaving secondary school Mikael completed a fulltime course with the Seychelles Maritime Academy, specialising in marine mechanics. After a successful work attachment at Silhouette Cruises, Mikael was hired as a deckhand and carried out this role for four years. During his time of service at sea, he has been to the Seychelles Outer Islands, Mozambique and Diego Garcia, where he assisted in a research expedition in partnership with the Manta Trust and Plymouth University. Mikael said that since childhood he developed a love for nature as well as the ocean, hence why he is now working in biodiversity conservation. He first joined ICS during the same time as Nicky Jean and serving in the post of Ranger. Mikael later moved to Farquhar in April 2021 as a Ranger and Boat Driver. “I feel that Farquhar is totally unique from other places, there is so much wildlife including birds, turtles, fish and crabs, especially coconut crabs (Sipay). My hobbies include fishing, surfing, snorkelling, hiking, music, movies and games” says Mikael.
Silhouette
From left to right: Vanessa Dufrene, Nasreen Khan,  Jaymee Jumeau-Clarisse, and Said Harryba

Conservation Officer

Nasreen Khan

Nasreen completed a Master's degree in Environmental Science at the University of KuwaZulu Natal, South Africa.  She has over 14 years experience in biodiversity conservation and research. Nasreen first joined ICS in 2018 and worked as a Conservation Officer on Aride island. Late 2019, Nasreen moved to Seychelles Island Foundation to work as a Science Coordinator and thereafter decided to move back to ICS. Since August 2021, Nasreen is leading the Conservation team on Silhouette and responsible for the implementation of the Silhouette Adaptive Conservation Management Plan, implements conservation programmes and associated projects. Nasreen has had the privilege of working in a few of the world’s most pristine environments including the sub Antarctic and Antarctic. Her work is dedicated towards seeking knowledge and producing scientific data to understand and to mitigate environmental pressures in order to contribute toward the conservation of natural ecosystems and the services they provide. You will find her up a hill or under the ocean. Her favourite bird in Seychelles, is the pirate of the sea, the frigatebird. And her favourite place is Aux Cabris, on Aride Island, watching those spectacular birds.

Senior Conservation Ranger

Jaymee Jumeau-Clarisse

Jaymee joined ICS in April 2021. Her love for conservation began with marine education programs administered by MCSS and SOSF while she was completing secondary education. During these programs, Jaymee learned about the importance of ocean life and how she can help to promote and protect all that co-exist in the marine environment. This is what inspired her to pursue a BSc degree in marine science at Shanghai Ocean University, China. On a good note, Jaymee said that ever since she joined the team on Silhouette she developed a keen interest in terrestrial conservation. "While exploring Silhouette's nature trails I have learned about the native plants of Seychelles as well as the various birds and other endemic animals" says Jaymee. 

Assistant Conservation Officer

Said Harryba​


​Said graduated from the Seychelles Maritime Academy with an Advanced Certificate in Fisheries Science. He also obtained a Durrell Endangered Species Management certificate after completing a short course at the University of Kent in 2019. Said joined ICS as a Conservation Ranger in 2016. As Assistant Conservation Officer on Silhouette Island. He is responsible for the implementation of the biodiversity monitoring programme and Silhouette conservation management plan as well as educating visitors and residents on environmental issues. He has an extensive knowledge of field work ranging from marine to terrestrial work. Amongst all the islands of Seychelles, Silhouette holds a special place in Said’s heart. He notes Silhouette is often referred as “A diamond in the rough” for its pristine forest and well protected biodiversity. This is where he grew up and spent most of his childhood days being outdoors and exploring different parts of the island. The love and care for the wilderness grew on him and had a large influence on his choice to pursue a career in conservation.

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Conservation Ranger

Vanessa Dufrene

Vanessa graduated from the Seychelles Maritime Academy with an Advanced Certificate in Fisheries science. After graduating from the said post-secondary institution, Vanessa  embarked on several career paths mostly in biodiversity conservation. She previously worked for MCSS as a research assistant before she first joined ICS in December 2020. She worked on Aride island for a few months before she was transferred to Silhouette in 2021. Vanessa said that her love for nature has grown throughout the work experience and is privileged to work on Silhouette, an island she describes to have the most interesting and unique biodiversity. In her spare time, Vanessa enjoys going on hikes and dives.​
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