A young Seychellois scientist is helping to shine new light on one of the Indian Ocean’s most remarkable botanical treasures.
​
Wendy Buquet, born to Seychellois parents and raised in France, has dedicated her postgraduate scientific career to uncovering the hidden diversity of orchids across the Indian Ocean. After completing a Bachelor of Science and two Master’s degrees, she moved to La Réunion to pursue a PhD at the Université de la Réunion. Her research focuses on collecting and analysing rare and exotic orchids using molecular tools that may confirm, or even reveal, species previously unknown to science.
Working under the supervision of botanist Professor Thierry Pailler, Buquet has already collected specimens from La Réunion and Madagascar. Her early results have been impressive, with analyses leading to the discovery of five new orchid species from La Réunion.  

The Seychelles orchids
Seychelles is home to several species of orchids – most of which have been introduced for their vibrant and ornamental values. There are at least 10 endemic and native orchids spread out across the archipelago, with Silhouette being one of the hotspots for these rare and fragile species. With the support of several partners, including the Islands Development Company (IDC) and the Island Conservation Society (ICS), Buquet recently visited the Seychelles, and her itinerary included a visit to Silhouette to find more orchids. On this three-day expedition, which included visits to areas of known high endemism, such as Anse Mondon and Mont Dauban, she was guided by Dr. Bruno Senterre, a Botanist and Lecturer at the University of Seychelles, and Jean-Pierre Barrallon, the Assistant Conservation Officer with ICS.

On the quest for orchids
On the first day of the expedition, the team set off from La Passe into the dense forests of Jardin Marron, where they encountered their first orchid: ‘Orkid lerb koko’ (Agrostophyllum occidentale), an indigenous species with distinct, flattened, grass-like leaves.
The following morning, the group prepared for a strenuous ascent toward Mont Dauban, carrying camping gear for a night on steep, rocky ground. The trail, long closed and reclaimed by vegetation, offered little mercy. Slippery slopes, thick vines, and constant scrambling made for a gruelling climb in which falling was almost routine.

“The fieldwork on Silhouette was both demanding and incredibly enriching. The terrain was steep, muddy, slippery, and clearly plotting against us, but it brought us constant laughter and memorable moments,” says Buquet.
Reaching Mont Plaisir, the lookout before Mont Dauban, the team recorded their second specimen: ‘Orkid kolibri’ (Phaius tetragonus), a tall ground orchid with brownish flowers, believed to be native to the Comoros and the Mascarenes. 
Pressing onward, the team finally entered the upper montane forest, one of Seychelles’ last largely untouched habitats. Endemic trees of ‘Bwa rouz’ (Dillenia ferruginea) dominated the misty heights, draped in mosses, pitcher plants, and orchids perched high on their branches. The forest occasionally opened to reveal sweeping views of Grande Barbe far below.

As evening settled over the ridge and after nearly ten hours of climbing, the exhausted group pitched camp beneath the dense canopy. The forest of Mont Dauban soon came alive with the calls of hundreds of sooglossid frogs, the chirping of crickets, and the soft rustle of branches overhead — an otherworldly soundtrack as the temperature dropped sharply despite the tropical setting. By 5:30 a.m., the first light filtering through the trees signalled the continuation of the search for orchids.
Upon reaching the slopes and rocky outcrops of Anse Mondon Valley, the group was welcomed by dense clusters of orchids in full bloom. These included the Seychelles national flower, ‘Orkid payanke’ (Angraecum eburneum), the vibrantly purple ‘Orkid fler de kouler’ (Polystachya rosea), and the delicate endemic ‘Orkid leo’ (Goodyera sechellarum). By the end of the expedition, the team had gathered a total of eleven orchid specimens.
​
Growing up, Barallon remembers that introduced orchids were common in local gardens, but that the expedition to look for the rare and wild ones was “completely different and an eye-opening experience”.
“Orchids that are endemic to Seychelles are rarely seen, and encountering them in their natural habitat left me genuinely amazed,” he said. Adding that “their elegance and subtle beauty are remarkable- true hidden gems of our islands.”

In the Seychelles outer islands, a small island is quietly becoming the stage for something remarkable. On Île Plate, two adult Red-billed Tropicbirds (Phaethon aethereus), a seabird species rarely confirmed as breeding in this region, have successfully nested and raised a chick, marking what appears to be the first documented nesting of this species not only on Île Plate, but in Seychelles. 

A small island with big ambition

Île Plate lies about 130 km south of Mahé in the Southern Coral Group of the Outer Islands of Seychelles. It covers approximately 0.578 km², measuring roughly 1.3 km in length and 0.55 km at its widest point.  A tiny stretch of land you could explore end-to-end in under 20 minutes.

Île Plate has a long and complex history of human use. In 1828, it was first proposed as an isolation site for people with leprosy. A decade later, in 1838, the British administration took over the island as a quarantine station for visiting ships. However, its distance from Mahé soon made Long Island a more practical location. By the 1840s, Île Plate held enough guano to justify excavation, an activity that continued into the early 20th century. In the decades that followed, the island also suffered severe turtle poaching to the point that one part of the island became known as the “turtle graveyard”. These pressures, combined with the introduction of invasive alien species such as cats, rats, and castor oil plants, left the island’s ecosystems heavily degraded.
​
In 2024, the Island Conservation Society (ICS) officially opened a Conservation Centre on the island to promote the conservation, protection, and restoration of its ecosystems. Since then, alongside the long-term monitoring programs for species and ecosystems, ICS has been leading an island restoration program with support from its partners, the Island Development Company (IDC) and Waldorf Astoria Hotel. 

The birds arrive and nest.
The Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaeton aethereus), or ‘Payanke Labek Rouz’ in Creole, is one of three tropicbird species found across tropical oceans, alongside the White-tailed (‘Payanke Lake Blan’) and Red-tailed Tropicbirds (‘Payanke Lake Rouz’). Unlike the White-tailed Tropicbird, which inhabits both inner and outer islands, and the Red-tailed Tropicbird, which is most common in the Aldabra group, the Red-billed Tropicbird is a rare sight in Seychelles. Historically, only about 20 sightings of the Red-billed Tropicbird have been recorded in Seychelles, with individuals sometimes lingering for months on Bird Island. However, breeding had never before been confirmed —until now!
Globally, the species is listed on the IUCN Red List as Least Concern, with an estimated population of 16,000-30,000 mature individuals. However, the population trend is declining due to invasive alien species, habitat loss, and the effects of climate change. Their nesting habits—often in ground scrapes or cliff cavities—make them especially vulnerable to rats and feral cats.
​
Restoration, refuge, and renewal
Why does this nest matter? Because it speaks of hope.
The confirmed nesting of Red-billed Tropicbird on Île Plate is a significant sign of recovery. Restoration efforts on Île Plate involve removing invasive plants and re-establishing native vegetation to stabilise sand, create habitat, and safeguard the shoreline. Predator control has been a priority, reducing threats to ground-nesting birds like tropicbirds. The ICS conservation centre now allows year-round monitoring of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and species, ensuring data-driven management rather than reactive responses.
The restoration actions on Île Plate are steadily transforming the island into a haven for wildlife. The successful nesting of the Red-billed Tropicbird joins other recent successes, including confirmed breeding of Red-tailed Tropicbirds and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (‘Fouke-de-Zil’).

A milestone for Seychelles' biodiversity
“This breeding record is more than just a milestone,” said Emma Mederic, Senior Science and Conservation Officer at ICS. “It’s proof that sustained island restoration, invasive species control, and careful management are making a tangible difference, not just that, but through collaboration as well.”
For Île Plate, this first recorded nesting is significant. It shows that island-restoration efforts can produce substantial ecological benefits, encouraging species that previously visited only occasionally to establish breeding populations.
In the broader context of global biodiversity goals- Target 2 (ecosystem restoration), Target 6 (invasive species control), and Target 3 (conservation of land, waters and seas), Île Plate provides a living example of what dedicated action can achieve.
​
Looking ahead: vigilance and promise
Despite this success, Île Plate’s future is shaped by climate challenges. With an elevation of just three metres above sea level, the island remains vulnerable to sea-level rise, storm surges, and reef degradation.
The presence of a sensitive breeding seabird heightens the urgency. Conservation and restoration must remain consistent: predator control, potential invasive species eradication, and adaptive management guided by continuous data collection.

The Hawksbill season has already begun on a positive note for the ICS team on Desroches Island. This week, they observed a female Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) successfully nesting in the bushes in front of a villa at the Four Seasons Hotel. After she laid her eggs, the team took the opportunity to check her tag, which, to their surprise, showed she had visited Desroches 15 years earlier! What’s more is that it laid eggs just a few meters away from its first nest location.

‘Once we realized it was a returning female turtle, we checked the GPS (Global Positioning System) data from our archives dating back to 2009, when ICS first arrived on the island, and were able to determine that it’s not just a returning turtle - it’s a turtle that had a special spot on the island where she wanted to lay eggs again!” said James Wareing, Assistant Conservation Officer of ICS on Desroches Island.
​
Wareing stated that this is not just one of the oldest tagged turtles ICS has recorded on the island, but also for Seychelles. Since turtles lay clutches of eggs more than once, Wareing is confident that the female will return during this nesting season, which will end around March. He also noted that the nesting season has started fairly late on Desroches – around the middle of October, compared to August and September in previous years.
​
“From our data, a late start in the season usually means that we will see fewer hawksbill turtles this year compared to other years. This highlights the need to continue conservation efforts,” added Wareing.  
On average, Desroches welcomes over 30 Hawksbills annually, with more than 100 nests recorded per year. This is significantly fewer than Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas), which lay eggs all year-round. Over 70 female Green Turtles nest on Desroches each year, totaling around 400 nests. Listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the number of Green Turtles on Desroches has nearly doubled since ICS began collecting data in 2009. In contrast, Hawksbill turtles remain Critically Endangered, making the return of another individual to a Seychelles island an event worth celebrating.

​The Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) is a seabird that was once common on many islands of Seychelles. Like many species, it was wiped out following the arrival of humans, who hunted them for food. With Booby translating to ‘foolish’, its Creole name, ‘fou bet’, refers to how easy it was to catch these duck-sized birds. Today, several colonies still exist across various islands in Seychelles, with the primary breeding colony established on Farquhar Atoll.
 
In the Alphonse Group of Islands, Red-footed Boobies frequently visit St François Atoll, which spans approximately 5,400 hectares and includes both lagoon and reef flats. The Island Conservation Society (ICS) has been monitoring this species on Alphonse since 2007, and its population has consistently grown over that period.
Although Red-footed Boobies have been roosting on St Francois in the tens of thousands for many years, the first breeding attempt of this species within the Alphonse Group was recorded in 2019 on St François. By 2023, this number had grown to 15 pairs. This season, the conservation team has recorded an astounding 213 nests. With regular fledgling and failures, it is difficult to determine the exact breeding population, but this gives a valuable insight into the minimum number of breeding pairs.
 
Following the increase of nesting pairs, the team on Alphonse conducted a census of roosting individuals in September. Although a good number are present during the day, a majority return to the island in the late evening. Therefore, the team camped overnight on St François, conducting bird counts between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. at 63 plots across the island. All birds within each plot were counted, and numbers were then calculated across suitable habitat, resulting in an estimated total of 82,794 roosting individuals. With sea conditions causing a delay in the timing of the census, it did not coincide with the peak roosting season, which data suggests to be July/August.  This is thought to be the reason numbers were significantly lower compared to the last census conducted in July 2016, where over 250,000 roosting birds were estimated. The team plans to test this theory in the coming season if conditions allow.
 
Although the Red-footed Booby is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, several initiatives have been launched to monitor its movements. Research has explored its foraging behavior to guide marine protected area planning and conservation strategies across different sub-colonies in Seychelles. For ICS on Alphonse, monitoring the Red-footed Booby is essential for assessing population health, tracking trends, and evaluating the condition of marine ecosystems. These efforts also help protect the island, ensuring it remains a haven for these birds. By fostering awareness and appreciation for Seychelles’ biodiversity, this information will contribute significantly to the protection of the species, with the hope that St François will one day become another key breeding ground for the red-footed boobies.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 17, 2025

Island Conservation Society (ICS), author of the Environment Impact Assessment (ESIA) for Assomption, welcomes the decision of the present Government and the Ministry of Environment to issue a prohibition order to the developers in view of non-compliance and breaches of the several conditions of the ESIA. Whilst irreversible harm has already occurred due to the non-compliance with the conditions and mitigation measures set forth in the ESIA and the Notice of Acceptance (NOA), ICS is hopeful that measures can be implemented swiftly to begin assessment and rehabilitation of the ecosystems on the island. 

The completion of biodiversity assessments to fully document the flora and fauna of the island remains one of the most important aspects highlighted by the ESIA. Until a comprehensive assessment of the whole island covering the different seasons on the island has been completed it will be impossible to ensure that operational activities on the island do not pose additional dangers than those already impacted by the construction activities. 

ICS is confident that if the proper measures highlighted in the ESIA and supporting documents are implemented during both construction and operational phases of the development, both development and nature can coexist on the island and ICS is keen to support Government and the developers in their efforts to ensure that all the measures set forth in the ESIA and NOA are fully adhered to and completed to the highest level.

ICS which had previously been excluded from oversight over the biodiversity assessment and implementation of the biosecurity management plan, now looks forward to being actively engaged in the processes and the way forward with all other relevant stakeholders.

...............ENDS............

Born in a family of seven, Christopher (or Topher as he is affectionately called) spent most of his youth on Praslin Island, where he attended school. After two years at the Maritime Academy, he went to Alphonse and worked as a divemaster for 2years, then returned home and occasionally worked in construction with his dad. But the ocean continued to call.

“Every so often, I will spend a stint at sea with some company or other, but I was still unsure what I wanted to do,” said Christopher. At the maritime academy, he had spent his attachment onboard Lady Esme and Lady Genevieve, two cargo ships of the Islands Development Company (IDC), and to this day, he felt that it was this experience that truly made him fall in love with the Outer Islands of Seychelles.
Behind his sunglasses, it is not clear where his mind goes as he stands on the beach on the main island of the Alphonse Group. This tanned, dreadlocked young man is now in his forties and himself a father to a son. Christopher first arrived on Alphonse in 2002, where he worked as a dive master for two years. He did not stay for long, but who would have thought that Alphonse would have a hold on his heart?
After two years on Alphonse, like many young Seychellois yearning for a career at sea, Christopher joined the Indian Ocean Explorer for a diving trip in the outer islands. After that, he did some other odd jobs. And then destiny called.  

“In 2014, my mom told me that there was a position for a Ranger being advertised for Alphonse and Aride by the Islands Conservation Society (ICS). I did not have any preference for either island, but during the interview, I told them I had been to Alphonse already, and that made me successful for the post.”
Conservation was nothing new for Christopher. His mother is a well-known tour guide with expertise in the flora and fauna of Seychelles. His older brother had also worked on Aldabra atoll and D’Arros, so he was keen to expand his knowledge further.

This year, it would be 11 years since Christopher joined ICS, and during all this time, he has stayed permanently on Alphonse, climbing the ranks to Senior Conservation Ranger. 
As he navigates the mini-mahé through the “kannal lanmor” in a bid to reach the St Francois Atoll in time before the tide changes, Christopher shows a mastery of the current in the area that takes years to understand.

“I did not expect to stay this long, but compared to other islands, I found that there is more to learn here, especially in marine-related projects, and continuity is important for such projects, such as satellite tracking of Hawksbill & Green turtles, Red-footed boobies and Frigate, the BRUVs, etc.”

In the vast lagoon of St Francois, the shallow water teeming with large porcupine rays and juvenile sharks, Christopher guides his team to shore. Over 110 bird species have been recorded in the Alphonse Group, making it one of the richest birding sites in the Seychelles outside of Aldabra. Alphonse is also an important nesting and foraging ground for hawksbill and Green turtles, but the marine life is equally impressive, with sharks, rays, dolphins, and other megafauna such as whale sharks regularly spotted.

“I have snorkeled with humpback whales once and dived with bull sharks too!’ he added enthusiastically. “I am not scared of them. If you remain calm, they will come to check you out and leave.”  
Christopher has also had the chance to work on other expeditions, such as Pangea, which explored Cosmoledo, Astove, Providence, St. Pierre, and Farquhar.

After exchanging a few stories about his adventures, Christopher recounts that his best memories have been with the Ocean X, where he went on a submarine dive 1,000 meters below the sea. “I spent around 8 hours in that submarine, and the creatures we saw, including the Dumbo octopus, I have never seen in my life. It was simply amazing!”

Christopher is also grateful to all the Conservation Officers and Assistants, who have helped mold him into who he is. “I have been privileged to work with people who were selfless and ready to share their knowledge with me. In return, I have done the same to all who came to work with me.”
In his easy, polite, and wide-laugh manner, perhaps that comes with island life, Christopher says he might have to move closer to home and family soon.

With a tinge of sadness, he added. “I have no regrets. I have done so many things here, and I have enjoyed Alphonse. The island has become a second home to me.” But the regrets are there, for Christopher says he will be happy to come and help if needed. 

“When I started working on the Outer Islands, it was not easy, but I got used to missing birthdays and so many other things,” Christopher says. “I will not change anything if I could redo it all again. Working on the Outer Islands is a lifetime opportunity to visit and discover what many people will never get to see. It’s not easy, but it's not easy anywhere.”
​
With a few wise words, Christopher enthusiastically starts the engine again. It’s time to go back. The ocean has been good to us. We have seen dolphins today. The ocean gives to those who love it back. 

From May to October, the powerful Southeast Trade winds dominate the Seychelles—carrying strong waves and shifting sand along our shores. Both Mauritius and Seychelles have similar cooler conditions and relief rainfall, called ‘tilapli iver’ in Mauritian Creole. ​

​I had experienced rough seas and heavy swell (‘lahoule’) in Mauritius, where I was not able to leave my workplace on Ile aux Aigrettes. However, this was nothing compared to the swell of Seychelles. What I described as a storm in Mauritius, where we cannot go out to sea, is a normal day during the Southeast monsoon or ‘vann swet’.
 
I did not know that the Southeast Trade winds were such a powerful wave with a persistent coastal current. This unconscious mindset led to a broken toe in my left foot. The doctor was shocked when they saw a fully fractured toe from falling down in the sea during the ‘vann swet’ while pushing the boat to leave Aride Island. I was happy that it was not worse.
 
I have been amazed to witness the beach of Aride shrinking day after day. The long, beautiful beach moved and left behind rocks and gravel. This erosion that Aride faces is natural. The sand is sometimes transported slowly, or on other days, you would wake up and a huge shift had occurred, transporting sand along the beach to another side of the island or offshore.
 
Since July, the coastline of Aride has been dancing. This kinetic landscape isn’t static. Sand doesn’t just drift—it disappears, and reappears elsewhere in unpredictable ways. Today, however, we have experienced a return of sand on the beach.  This was such a relief for me. It is still unclear, but maybe this is a sign that the North West monsoon might come earlier this year.
 
Another thing that I was not prepared for when I came to Seychelles was the Sooty tern colonies. Once there was a shift from the North West winds to the Southeast Trade winds, the birds started to arrive. At Ile Aux Aigrettes in Mauritius, we used bird decoys and recordings of bird sounds to attract Sooty terns. This was not so on Aride Island, where we needed to count a population of more than 6,000 breeding pairs of Sooty terns. This experience on Aride Island has marked me for life.
In Mauritius, Sooty terns have been locally extinct in a few of our islets because of the culture of eating their eggs and the presence of rats within the colonies. It is such a blessing to encounter the young generation that is willing to protect the Sooty terns in Seychelles, and the presence of laws to protect this species from exploitation. So, the Southeast Trade winds or ‘vann swet’ is not such a bad thing after all. We welcomed the birds and said goodbye to the only beach on Aride Island. So, cheers to ‘vann swet’!

What happens when two different species, live together, mate and reproduce? A new ‘hybrid’ species is sometimes born. Hybridisation between species plays an important role in evolution, though there is considerable debate about its significance. Around 25% of plants and 10% of animals are known to form hybrids with at least one other species. There is even evidence of hybridisation in modern humans, with up to 4% of DNA from all people living today attributable to Neanderthals.

In an astonishing discovery, on the remote St. Francois Atoll in Seychelles' Alphonse Group, conservationists have confirmed a rare hybridisation event between two different tern species: a Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii or ‘Dyanman Roz’ in Creole) and a Black-naped Tern (Sterna sumatrana or ‘Dyanman Likou Nwanr’ in Creole). This is the second recorded time hybridisation between the two said species has been recorded anywhere in the world, the first being in Australia in 2004.

The colony of Black-naped Tern on St Francois - one of the three islands of the Alphonse group - has been monitored by conservationists from the Island Conservation Society (ICS) since 2008. According to a scientific publication published recently, using photographic evidence and field observations, ICS observed a single Roseate Tern that established itself within the colony of Black-naped Terns. It was then observed successfully mating with a Black-naped Tern to produce a ‘hybrid’ offspring with distinctive features of both parent species. For example, it had distinct red legs, a characteristic unique to Roseate Tern and not Black-naped Tern. The egg from this pairing also exhibited mixed features, for example, they were noticeably larger than that of both species, but also had pigmentation resembling the eggs of the Roseate Tern. Over time, Conservationists also observed a ‘hybrid’ mating with another ‘pure’ Black-naped Tern; a process called ‘backcrossing’.

Although hybridisation is known to occur in avian species, the study does not speculate why the two species have chosen to mate together. One suggestion is that Terns, as observed in Fairy Terns, are very loyal to their mate and have a tendency to return to a previously visited location or site fidelity. Hence, since this first pair of a Roseate Tern and a Black-naped Tern has been successful at mating and producing offspring at St Francois; they returned annually to repeat the same process.  

The findings have crucial implications for the overall population of both species. Seychelles hosts the only known breeding grounds for Black-naped Terns in the African region. In addition to St. Francois Atoll, both species of tern also breed on nearby St. Joseph Atoll, Étoile (an uninhabited low-lying coral cay of the Amirantes group) and Farquhar Atoll. Black-naped Terns also breed on African Banks, Bancs Providence, Aldabra and Cosmoledo Atoll in the Outer Islands. In contrast, Roseate Terns once bred at several of the inner islands, but survive today only at Aride Island.

Black-naped Tern is a relatively scarce species in the Seychelles with an estimated 245 to 345 pairs – the entire breeding population of the Afrotropical region.  As for Roseate Tern, although it has a wide distribution around the world, its population is declining. It is estimated that 1,600 pairs of Roseate Tern visit the Seychelles from May to August to breed only. The majority (over 1,200 pairs) breed on Aride Island and rely on the protection of this island as a Special Reserve for their continued survival.

With both species being relatively in low numbers throughout Seychelles, this study highlights the need for further study to assess the extent of genetic mixing and its consequences on the evolution of both species on St Francois. Since this occurrence is only in one location, there is a risk that the population of the ‘pure’ Black-naped Tern will continue to inbreed within itself and with the Roseate Tern. However, the conservation implications of hybridisation are disputed. While the process might threaten rare species, it could also save a rare lineage from extinction by introducing genetic diversity. A "pure" lineage could harm conservation by lowering genetic diversity and adaptive potential, particularly in species with low populations.

It is uncertain what will happen to the unique and distinct characteristic of both species if this continues. This is a fascinating and rare aspect of avian biology that is unique to Seychelles and the Alphonse Group and that merits more research. This hybridisation phenomenon also underscores the fragility and biodiversity of Seychelles' ecosystem, particularly in the protected St. Francois Atoll—a critical site for seabird conservation.   

​My name is Russell Brown and I am a zoology student from England, studying in Cornwall. As part of my master’s, I had the opportunity to come out to Aride Island specifically to study the mice here. I aimed to gather information that would help estimate their population on the island, as well as study their home ranges. I was here during the gap between my third and fourth years of study to collect data for the research project.

Why This Research Is Important
Aride is home to many ground-nesting birds, including the White-tailed Tropicbird, Brown Noddies, and Shearwaters. It is currently unknown whether mice prey on their eggs or those of smaller species such as skinks. The first step in determining this is to estimate the number of mice on the island and understand how far an individual travels from its home. The information gained from this study could help guide future conservation efforts, including the potential eradication of mice from Aride, as this species was accidentally introduced by humans.

Of Boat Rides and Helicopters
While on Aride, I also assisted with the Sooty Tern census, cared for Aldabra Giant Tortoises, and excavated hatched Green Turtle nests—something I’m quite experienced in due to previous work on a turtle project. I was also heavily involved in launching the boat and other day-to-day tasks. At this time of year, leaving the island and taking trips to Praslin is an adventure. You can get knocked around by the waves and have to hold on tight. Being ‘airborne’ in the boat is my idea of heaven and was a highlight of my time on Aride. Another incredible experience was when a helicopter was used to airlift materials between a visiting barge and the island. Pulling straps off equipment while a helicopter hovers 20 metres above you is a truly unique feeling!
​
Life on the Island
In my spare time, one of my favourite things to do was explore and photograph the wildlife and scenery. Capturing the perfect shot of a bird in flight is incredibly rewarding! I never expected to stay for over two months on a nature reserve island—especially not during the Southeast monsoon—so when the opportunity came up, I had to take it. It has been an absolute honour to work alongside the incredible people who dedicate themselves to making the island a sanctuary for all kinds of wildlife, whether birds, reptiles, invertebrates, or plants. All of this comes together to make Aride Island an incredible and truly unique place!