Operation Wallacea

Starting the first year of my undergraduate program, it was daunting to see how theory and content-heavy the next few years looked, with no opportunity for field work or anything hands-on. But after finding Opwall I was immediately drawn into the opportunity of conservation fieldwork, especially in my home country of Mexico. The biggest obstacle was fundraising for the trip, but I was pleased with the advice and coaching that Opwall provided on fundraising as it was extremely helpful and made it more feasible. Obviously, the fundraising was also motivated by the fact that this trip is not just for fun, and you know it will have an impact on your future career or passions. In the two weeks trip, I got to experience their terrestrial site at Calakmul in K19, and their marine site in Akumal. Immediately arrival there was organized and I never felt uncomfortable or confused on any important information before getting to the campsite. We were the first group of RAs at K19 and they were still in the process of building it up, conditions were still great with the only expected setbacks of getting comfortable with large insects and lots of mud and rain. The toilets were dry and the showers were buckets. I loved being able to get involved with every team and their research. The wildlife there was insane: hearing yourself surrounded by spider monkeys in the morning and then seeing them in the trees on a survey, the birds like toucans, and motmots, and the Yucatan jays, even the loud chachalacas. The Akumal site was very different as it was a hostel-like building with bunk beds, running water, and a pool. Even though the wildlife encounters were fewer we did see spider monkeys which is always so exciting. This site was great as we got to go diving, however the hurricane season had put us behind schedule of open water diving and we could only dive in cenotes or in front of the reef (4m deep). Turtle encounters and reef surveys were awesome but I did feel less involved with actual data here. The RAs did not feel as utilized as they could have been and there was a tangible divide between the group that had been at the marine site for the past week vs the group that had just arrived from the jungle, but I suppose that just depends on the people. Overall the whole experience was amazing and I loved going back to my home peninsula and seeing it from a research perspective. I love the friends that I made there and can't wait to see where their experiences lead them.

In this amazing rewilding place, we got to know how nature evolved and recovered. I took the two-weeks field course, and every day we took different surveys and trainings ranging from birds, insects, reptiles, mammals, habitats and so on. All of them are really interesting and the ecologists leading us are all so knowledgeable and nice! I got to know how the conservation sector works and built connections with many like-minded people!

Being an Alevel biologist who is about to study Biological Sciences at University, I was thoroughly encouraged by my biology teacher to consider going on the trip, not because I would be spending two weeks off of TikTok...but because I had the opportunity to develop my knowledge that I had learnt in the classroom to real life scenarios. I was slightly apprehensive at first as ecology and conservation was of great interest to me, and I could not say no to a good documentary by Sir David Attenborough himself , however the fun is often taken away when you are sat in the classroom with a long list of risk assessments that don't always allow you to go out into the field to grasp a more practical element....I have not been bribed to say this, but when I say my two weeks spent across Somkanda Game Reserve, and Sodwana Bay were the best two weeks of my life, I'm not joking! Across my two weeks I learnt many important things about myself that include: 1) I am in fact a complete expert when it comes to poo (not human poo don't worry) 2) I now have the ability to look at a bird, and successfully name it rather than going 'is that a pigeon or a seagull?' 3) and finally....as a teenage girl who is somewhat addicted to her phone, I successfully survived both limited access to TikTok and Pinterest, as well as waking up early- so much so that I now consider 7am as a lie in! The 5 a.m. starts were a shock, but they led to unforgettable experiences. Blasting music on a speaker with the wind in my hair (and hair in my face!) as we headed out for morning dives was a highlight. On our last dive, I was so mesmerised by the coral and marine life that I almost missed the fact that we were following a shark! In the end, we saw three sharks, though no mermaids, unfortunately :( Throughout the whole time being involved with Operation Wallacea, the staff and communication were brilliant. Before our trip the staff helped give us ideas for fundraising, my Sixth Form decided to hold a South Africa themed quiz night- accompanied by live music, a raffle and South African themed bake sale, where we raised nearly £1000! Our accommodation throughout the trip included tents with beds, electricity and shelving for storage- I was even able to blow my hair in the South African Bush! We had an outside toilet and shower block that provided flushable toilets and hot water. I particularly enjoyed showering with the afternoon sun on my face. Our second week accommodation at the marine site involved 'cabins' with a fridge, desk, storage and of course beds! We were also provided with an inside toilet and shower block that enabled us to warm up after a morning dive. We also had a courtyard with trees and grass as well as a pool to swim in if we wanted. The staff were funny, approachable and very enthusiastic! Being around like minded people on the trip was really what sparked my interest in conservation, making me want to perhaps have a job in it when I'm older. You can really see how passion they have in their jobs in not only helping the environment, but also in inspiring young people like me. We had ecology experts who were also conducting research on site, who gave us lectures on topics that I was able to build my knowledge on from school. We learnt how to conduct scientific surveys as well as how to identify animal tracks, poisonous plants and of course poo! Not that I plan to be like Bear Grills any time soon, however we were also taught how to survive alone in the bush- developing skills such s how to build and make a fire, as well as how to use the star constellations as a compass. I returned from the trip with a diving qualification, a wealth of knowledge, and friendships to last a lifetime. I would encourage anyone to go on an expedition with Operation Wallacea and join the OPWALL family too! I think as a young person it's very important to encourage people like me to get involved and hands on. I have learnt a lot about myself and the world around me; this trip has made me realise just what a magnificent place we live in, and how important it is to protect it. Thank you for having me Operation Wallacea- I can not wait to make my return on another expedition!