Start of Something New?

Annie holding an egg from her first sea turtle nest! One egg is taken from each nest for DNA research.

Blog Post By: Annie Gentry
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        ​This passed January I was given the opportunity to study the conservation efforts that are in effect on the Hawaiian Islands ranging from energy, to water, to food. I am a Biology major, but up until that trip, I had no idea what I wanted to do with it! Upon my return to the mainland, I began the search for summer employment. I was looking for a job in wildlife conservation because I had already studied conservation of resources. In my research, I came across this internship and it seemed too good to be true. It would be close to home, working at the beach, and getting hands-on experience with the loggerhead sea turtle. I sent in my resume and anxiously waited on a response. I was extremely honored to have been selected for this opportunity, and I have learned so much about a variety of topics and a lot about myself in the process. I arrived in late May and began with patrols, searching for nests, and marking new turtle activity. This was followed by nightwalks, work at the Learning Center, seining lessons, a turtle release, inventories, hatchings, leading my own nightwalk, and meeting so many wonderful people along the way! Through this internship I have gained valuable experience in working with the public, leading programs, public speaking, and exercising responsibility. I applied for a job working with loggerhead sea turtles, but I gained so much more than that! Because of my experiences here this summer, I have been able to narrow down my wide range of interests to one field: Wildlife Conservation. I always knew that I had a passion for animals, I just wasn’t sure how to go about embracing it! I will take all that I have learned here with me as I continue my studies in Biology and hopefully return to the turtles next year to thank them for helping me figure out my future! This summer is only the beginning; a huge wave of gratitude to Leah and the EBSP staff for being so welcoming and amazing throughout my time here.