Who comes to volunteer on Cousin multiple times? Charlotte Schumann did! This is her 3rd time volunteering for the intensive Hawksbill turtle season, where Nature Seychelles asks for and receives local and international volunteers to collect data for the conservation of this critically endangered species. Why does she do this? Well, only she can answer that!
Well, I don’t know where to start, really. Maybe I should begin with the idea that things often come in threes, as this is my third time volunteering on Cousin Island.
Another adventure in Seychelles just ended, and once again, it’s painful to leave. I’m not just saying goodbye to a wonderful place with stunning nature and beautiful wildlife, but also leaving wonderful people! Chris Tagg – the science officer, wardens, volunteers, and Reef Rescuers, along with Scuba (the Reef Rescuers’ dog), make your experience unforgettable, creating memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime! I am incredibly grateful for the chance to meet with both new and familiar faces from my last two visits! For me, it’s not just the place itself that makes Cousin a lovely island. It’s also the people you work and laugh with!
Many people asked if I was sure I wanted to return to Seychelles, as it won’t be the same as my first visit. And, yes, it wasn’t. My experiences in Seychelles during my second and third visits were different from my first, but just as beautiful in a unique way!
The only thing that didn’t change is the turtle work. From sunrise to sunset, sometimes even when it’s already dark, in the hot sun, or when it’s raining. The turtles decide when they come and how long they stay for nesting. Some are faster, others need more time, and after 60 days, you can hopefully witness the hatchlings going to the sea!
This year, we measured ten eggs per nest for research, in addition to the regular monitoring protocol. As always, you always get a step-by-step training from Tagg, and when you feel comfortable, you can start going on patrol yourself. You still have the opportunity to receive support from him, the wardens, or the volunteers to ensure that the conservation work is completed professionally!
It never gets boring on the island. There’s always a new “first time” you can check off your bucket list. At the very top of my bucket list was seeing a baby giant tortoise on the island. I finally met one during my three-week stay. In addition to that, I saw a lot more different sizes of juvenile Aldabra Giant Tortoises this time. I also had my first 3-flipper turtle – they sometimes lose flippers to shark bites – that successfully nested and laid more than 150 eggs. On my second-to-last day, I finally had my turtle tagging refreshment, and on my last day, we excavated three nests and watched more than 300 hatchlings go to the ocean!
This year, there’ve been a lot more volunteers than the last two times I’ve been on the island. The teamwork and everyone supporting each other, whether it’s during our daily conservation work or in our free time, was once again an amazing experience. Conservation work can be extremely challenging, but knowing you can get help at any time makes life a lot easier and fun!
It was hard leaving my home in Germany once again at Christmas, but if there’s one place in the world where I’d want to spend Christmas apart from home, it’s Cousin! This island means so much to me; it truly feels like my second home and will always hold a special place in my heart! Everything I learned and did on this island helped me grow both physically and mentally and do what I enjoy the most – save turtles!
Round 3 of being a turtle midwife is over now and what I can already say for sure is that this won’t be my last time in Seychelles!