EXPEDITIONS
amphibians and reptiles (we would visit traps we made daily and we also took river walks at night), and butterflies (catching and identifying them using nets). As well as encountering such species on our surveys, we were treated to sightings in and around the camp. Highlights included the massive bird-eating spider that lived on a tree by the loos and, at one point, a flying lizard, which has flaps of skin to help it glide from tree to tree. Possibly a larger challenge than undertaking our scientific work was living in the jungle itself. While at the jungle camp we slept in hammocks, bathed in the river that ran through the camp and used a loo that was just a hole in the ground. Although by the end of the week we were more than ready for a night in anything resembling a bed, the hammocks were quite comfy and the access to the river we had whenever we were on our breaks was definitely a highlight of our time in the jungle. On the final full day before we left, we had the opportunity to visit a large waterfall, which was roughly a 45-minute walk from the camp. Without a doubt a highlight of the trip, the endless, unspoilt cascades reminded us of the immense beauty and fragility of the environment we were working to protect. The walk back to the village the day after was once again four hours and after another night there, we left for a marine site at Bau Bau. When we arrived at the marine site, just a couple of hours’ drive from the jungle, it was clear that the environment we were working in was very different. The Operation Wallacea facilities were up on a cliff overlooking the sea and included lecture theatres, a dining hall, bedrooms, storage for diving equipment and a small shop. During the week, we were to undertake two dives a day (we could choose scuba or snorkelling) and we would attend lectures regarding the species we were observing so we could identify and survey the variety of life found on the reef. By the end of the week, in addition to having significantly improved our diving skills, we were able to identify most of the coral, invertebrate and fish species found on the reef, in addition to being well versed in the hand signs that correspond to these organisms. Over the course of the week, we came into contact with rays, sea krates, sharks, lion fish, sea turtles and many more iconic animals. However, throughout the week, we were also exposed to the great threats the environment faced. Whilst diving, we frequently came across areas of reef that had been affected by blast fishing – a practice that involves blowing up sections in order to kill the fish that live there. Also, the Operation
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