Alphonse
From left to right: Christopher Narty, Liam Padayachy (now posted on Desroches Island), Kaeleah Andrew and Jack Coupland
Conservation OfficerJack CouplandFor much of the last 10 years, Jack has worked on the East African coast, gaining a wide range of experience working on terrestrial, marine and social projects. Prior to joining ICS, he spent over a year working in the Seychelles, conducting baseline assessments of coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangroves and is loving the diversity that Alphonse has to offer. |
Assistant Conservation Officer
Kaeleah AndrewKaeleah is a Zoology MSc graduate from South Africa with a background in endangered species conservation and behavioral ecology of large African predators. The Seychelles has inspired an appreciation for the importance of conserving the terrestrial and marine environment of these delicate island ecosystems and the endangered species that rely on them. Before arriving on Alphonse, Kaeleah ran the conservation programme on North Island, Seychelles and was responsible for all aspects of island conservation, long-term monitoring, biosecurity measures and volunteer & staff management. As Assistant Conservation Officer for the Alphonse group, she will be assisting with long-term monitoring and conservation of the abundant marine life, birds and other endangered species and with the exciting research projects carried out in this unique and beautiful atoll.
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Senior Conservation RangerChristopher NartyChris (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. |
Conservation RangerVacant Post |
Aride
Reserve ManagerAnthony BentleyHailing from the United Kingdom, Anthony has over ten years’ experience in working in conservation for a number of NGO’s. Most notably, Anthony worked for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). He has a passion for photography. He also loves spending time in nature and has great interest in birds. |
Conservation OfficerVacant Post |
Assistant Conservation OfficerEmma CottonEmma is from the UK and has several years of experience working in conservation. Having gained a BSc in Zoology, she has developed a passion for island conservation; working within the Indian Ocean for the past few years including Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius. She has a keen interest in island restoration and birds. She enjoys all things nature. |
Science Officer - ProjectAnnie SimonsAnnie has been working in the field of conservation for several years. After time with the RSPB in the UK she moved to Malta to train in the environmental education before working as a warder for BirdLife Malta. She enjoys hands on conservation carrying out bird ringing, bird rehabilitation and monitoring. |
Other Staff
Conservation Ranger - Steve Esther
Conservation Ranger - Julio Confiance
Operations and Maintenance Officer - Jean-Claude Camille
General assistant- Laurette Asba
Handyman - Stefan Antoine
Conservation Ranger - Julio Confiance
Operations and Maintenance Officer - Jean-Claude Camille
General assistant- Laurette Asba
Handyman - Stefan Antoine
Astove
Conservation OfficerSenior Conservation Ranger
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Assistant Conservation Officer |
Desroches
Conservation OfficerBernice BrandsBernice is from the Netherlands, and she has a great interest in the tropics. She has a BSC and MSC in ecology and after trying out the education field, she decided that her heart lies with conservation. She loves the wildlife in the Seychelles and has previously worked on Fregate and Cousin Island. This is her first time on an outer island and she is determined to improve the islands ecosystem and is eager to get involved in the marine projects. |
Assistant Conservation OfficerPriya DidonPriya's passion to conserve and protect the environment began through her love for animals that gradually developed into a passion not just for the animals, but for the environment as well. As a student at the University of Seychelles with a degree in environmental sciences, Priya got the chance to intern with ICS on Aride and Desroches. This provided the opportunity for her to truly realized that she wanted to pursue a career in island conservation. Priya is happy to be back on Desroches, doing her part in bettering the environment of Seychelles. |
Senior Conservation Ranger
Liam Padayachy
Liam is one of the conservation rangers on Alphonse. He graduated from the Seychelles Maritime Academy in 2019 and started working with ICS on Aride in late 2020. He then moved to Desroches Island in the beginning of 2022 for another year and as of June 2023 has transferred to Alphonse Island. He continues to learn and develop his skills in conservation with each new island and their different ecosystems by assisting in ongoing projects as a ranger, skipper and also as a diver.
Farquhar
From let to right: William McNeely (Conservation Officer) and Elena Levorato (Assistant Conservation Officer).
Conservation Officer
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. |
Assistant Conservation Officer
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. |
Conservation Ranger |
Conservation Ranger |
Silhouette
Assistant Conservation OfficerIrma DuboisIrma has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental science specializing in tropical biodiversity conservation from the University of Seychelles. She has over 8 years of experience working in conservation and was previously working at the Vallee de Mai, a UNESCO world heritage site, where she worked for three years as a field research officer. Her work entailed monitoring the flora and fauna within the world heritage site, including the endemic coco de mer and black parrot and the removal of invasive species within the site such as the yellow crazy ants. Irma has worked with a range of organisations within Seychelles, such as SaveOurSeas, WiseOceans and the Marine Conservation Society of Seychelles (MCSS), through which she has experience not only terrestrial but marine conservation and research work; from fish monitoring to coral rehabilitation. Previously, Irma also volunteered with ICS where she had the chance to work on Aride for a month in three different years and gained experience working with seabirds. She is a nature enthusiast and is always looking for the opportunity to experience nature at its best and most pristine natural state. Senior Conservation RangerRicky AdelineRicky developed an interest in conservation working on Cousin Island in 2017 and after 3 years joined ICS on Aride Island as Ranger/Boatman. Ricky was the main man to be bringing visitors ashore and making sure they returned safely, expertly handling the waves. Through ICS, Ricky furthered his conservation experience, a favourite of his is working with different birds, especially the endemic magpie robin. After Aride, he transferred to the remote outer islands, working on Farquhar Atoll and is now on Astove and Cosmoledo Atoll. Ricky says “they are amazing places to learn and discover”. You can find Ricky surfing around Praslin and underwater as a rescue diver, he also enjoys long walks in nature. |
Assistant Conservation OfficerElliot FrostElliot is a wildlife conservationist from England, with a BSc in Ecology & Wildlife Conservation. He grew up in rural Turkey, where his passion for exotic wildlife was ignited. After years of work and studies he eventually developed this interest into a full-time career, dedicated to the research and protection of the wildlife he loves. His practical experience ranges from combatting illegal wildlife trade at the European border, to captive management of species for both rehabilitation, education and head starting as part of targeted release programs. This vital work spans four countries, three of which in the tropics of Central America and the Indian Ocean. This diversity of location brought with it a range of focal species, from crocodiles and sloths to Britain’s rarest reptiles and hand-rearing the rapidly declining, Eurasian Curlew closer to home. Today, Elliot is committed to the research, monitoring and management of Silhouette Island’s biodiversity, to safeguard its wealth of endemic and endangered species for future generations. Conservation RangerNick CamilleNick Camille enrolled with ICS as a conservation ranger on Silhouette Island as this is an island that he is very familiar with. Nick enjoys island life and has embraced the opportunity to contribute to preserving our planet's biodiversity. Nick states that "this chapter of [my] career is not just a job; it's a purpose-driven adventure dedicated to nurturing and protecting the delicate balance of our Seychelles ecosystems." Assistant Conservation Ranger
18-year-old Clarisha is a fresh graduate from the Seychelles Maritime Academy. She is thrilled to be a part of the ICS as a new member of the Silhouette Island team. Having just finished school, she joins ICS as an Assistant Ranger, where she will gain valuable knowledge and skills in conservation. Clarisha has previously worked on other islands of Seychelles, including Aride Island where she volunteered for three months. Clarisha is passionate about protecting and preserving the environment. |