Marine and Terrestrial Conservation Programmes in the Seychelles

Facts and figures

GVI Seychelles has surveyed 18 reefs every three months for the last eight years as well as conducting plankton tows, turtle monitoring, whale shark observations, certation sightings and logging all Megafarna observed during dives
12 Marine Park rangers have been trained in fish and Coral ID.
Contributed eight years of unbroken coral monitoring and recruitment data as well as eight years of fish biodiversity data to the Seychelles National Parks Authority. Adding this to the existing previous four years of data we now have an unbroken twelve year data set on the reefs of North west Mahe an almost unprecedented length of time for a reef monitoring program
Approximately 1000 volunteers have passed through GVI Seychelles over the last eight years. All have been trained in coral reef monitoring techniques either learning to identify 47 genre of coral species or 140 fish species
The data collected by GVI Seychelles is used by Government organisations and is the main contribution from the region to the biannual publication of “The Sate of Coral Reefs of The Indian Ocean”

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

23/03/2011 Last Blog from a Terrestrial

Lasting memories...

Amazing times with amazing people!

Spectacular views; above and below the ocean!

Turtles, trees and all those terrestrial things!

Beaches galore, tourist free and been a priveledge to walk on.

Letting go and passing on all our data to those that follow and the related partners.

Over 140 Coco de Mer surveyed, 8 different turtles seen on land and two sets of hatchlings!!

Goodbye to all – never to be forgotton.

The working week has taken on a whole new meaning and weekends have been spent soaking up even more!

I have hovered above Greens as they chill out below, above Hawksbills with their bottoms up as they munch away, sat next to them on land whilst they lay and seen the wee hatchlings scamper down the beach.

I have had Feather tailed rays, Eagle rays and a baby Lemon shark swim right past me. I have spotted Octopus, Lion fish, Squid (and so much more!) and swam 18m above two White Tip Reef sharks.

I have encountered every palm, shrub and tree this island has to offer. As well as a lot of spiky, scratchy grasses as I have walked back and forth over Curieuse - my legs say it all!!

I have met the endearing Giant Tortoises and looked up to watch the graceful tropic birds and my favourite, the Fairy Terns!

Spending well earned chill out time in ‘my tree’ (not mine really!!); the Takamaka branch on the beach has provided the picture perfect spot for those 10 weeks!

Having experienced all this and more over the last ten weeks has been immense and an absolute privelige. Talk about visual stimulation!!

Now I get to go home and recall all this to family, friends and work colleagues...I hope they are ready to keep the green eyed monster at bay!!!

I have cermoniously handed over my walking shoes to continue their journey over Curieuse!!!

“Curieuse, this has been Curieuse; over and out.”