“My time on Cousin Island has been amazing; I couldn’t have asked for better! I am so grateful for the experience I have had and will remember it for the rest of my life,” says Rosie Upton from Yorkshire, United Kingdom, as she reflects on her adventure as a ‘Turtle Helper’ on Cousin Island Special Reserve.
Rosie, a wildlife enthusiast and self-proclaimed ‘animal geek,’ joined Nature Seychelles’ turtle team in October 2024, bringing with her a boundless energy and curiosity for turtle conservation efforts.
Known as a birder’s paradise, Cousin Island Special Reserve is also a nesting haven for Critically Endangered Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), where hundreds come ashore each season to nest.
From October to March, Nature Seychelles welcomes volunteers from all over the globe who contribute to its vital turtle conservation program, which has been in place since the 1970s.
Volunteers like Rosie patrol the pristine nesting beaches, keeping a watchful eye out for turtles, tracks, nests, and hatchlings.
Armed with an established monitoring protocol and comprehensive training, they gather essential data on individual turtles, their nesting behaviours, and even apply tags on untagged individuals.
This information helps track population trends and shape effective conservation strategies.
Beyond turtle monitoring, volunteers engage in other conservation activities like bird monitoring making every moment on the island count.
With a master’s in endangered species recovery and conservation under her belt, Rosie dove headfirst into this experience.
“The island itself is like heaven on earth and the wildlife is extraordinary,” she exclaims. “During my time here, I was lucky enough to see lots of nesting turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs. In some cases, we had to translocate the nests to improve their hatching success, which was great to be a part of!”
And what were her favourite memories? “Tagging turtles by myself and watching Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchlings make their journey to the sea were definitely highlights for me!” Other experiences included excavating a hatched nest, ringing birds, and conducting seabird and tortoise censuses, she adds.
Volunteering is not solely about work; during their free time, helpers can enjoy the pristine nature surrounding them.
“I was lucky enough to see turtles, sharks, rays, and many different fish while snorkelling around the island,” she recalls. “Watching the beautiful sunsets from the viewpoint, seeing the Milky Way, star gazing every night, and seeing the bioluminescence that accumulates around the island were definite highpoints.”
But the experience doesn’t end there. Volunteers often leave the island as ‘turtle ambassadors’, spreading the word about the importance of conservation and volunteering. They share their stories on social media and contribute to awareness campaigns, amplifying the message that every little effort helps protect our precious wildlife.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Seychelles and would highly recommend it to anyone passionate about wildlife and conservation,” Rosie asserts. “Tagg, the conservation manager, was an amazing mentor and made my time on the island even better! I will miss it so much but will keep the memories forever.”