Save Our Seas Foundation Seychelles

We miss our atoll fieldwork days the most when we are unable to cross into the atoll. Right now, the southeasterly winds are making the channel between D’Arros and St Joseph extremely rough, meaning our small boats cannot cross safely to enter the atoll. We will have to wait for the next couple of months until the season changes before we can resume our fieldwork there again. For now, all our focus remains on D’Arros, while many team members will eventually head off on leave.

Photo by Dillys Pouponeau | © Save Our Seas Foundation

What a MANTAstic behaviour recorded by the MantaCam!

We often see megafauna such as marble rays at the cleaning station. In this photo, one lifted its tail as a manta passed overhead. Stingrays are known to raise their tails as a defensive response. When they feel threatened, they can reflexively whip their tail upward or sideways like a scorpion, using their sharp, venomous barb as protection. It’s possible that the stingray here felt threatened by its own cousin gliding overhead like a large predator.

Photo by Dillys Pouponeau | © Save Our Seas Foundation

A goniometer is a device used in marine research to determine the direction of a signal from satellite tags or tagged animals. Here at SOSF-DRC, we use it to locate satellite tags that have popped up to the water surface after detaching from the animal. Recovering the tags allows us to not only to collect expensive equipment but sometimes additional valuable data recorded during deployment.

Photo by Dillys Pouponeau | © Save Our Seas Foundation

On Friday 12th June, we celebrated five years of the D’Arros Experience with the premiere of the D’Arros Experience 2025 film, alongside a screening of the D’Arros Experience 2022 film and a panel discussion featuring Academy by the Sea and D’Arros Experience alumni 🌊

The evening highlighted the lasting impact of the programme, with alumni reflecting on how their time on D’Arros has shaped their understanding of the environment, influenced their personal growth, and inspired ongoing engagement in conservation and marine-related fields.

As DEX continues to evolve, the focus remains on expanding opportunities for young people, strengthening the alumni network, and ensuring participant voices remain at the heart of its storytelling.

Here's to five years, and many more to come 💙

Happy World Sea Turtle Day!

Today we celebrate turtles and the important work being done at D’Arros and St Joseph to better understand and protect them. From hawksbill and green turtle nesting activities, juvenile population studies, habitat use within the atoll, opportunistic mating observations and male population records, every piece of research helps us learn more about these incredible species and how to conserve them for the future.

World sea turtle day is a chance to raise awareness, inspire conservation and encourage more people to care for the habitats and ecosystems these amazing animals depend on.

Photo by | © Save Our Seas Foundation

The strengths needed as a scientist: teamwork, resilience, determination, curiosity, and a good amount of muscle; especially when weighing a big bag of marine litter from a cleanup.

Photo by Dillys Pouponeau | © Save Our Seas Foundation

To mark World Ocean Day on 8th June, the SOSF–ISS team joined Dekouver Nou Losean (DNL) at the Ocean Fair, organised by the Danny Faure Foundation. The team supported the event by moderating presentation sessions delivered by University of Seychelles students and facilitating interactive exhibition activities alongside DNL.

The event provided a valuable platform for young Seychellois researchers to showcase their work and share insights into the marine environment. It was inspiring to witness the strong level of audience engagement and the meaningful discussions that followed, highlighting the importance of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and community involvement in advancing ocean conservation.

Photo by Shanon Surman & Corianna Camille | © Save Our Seas Foundation