Middle Camp – Seasonal South East Monitoring

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The first week of August marked our second seasonal monitoring camp of the south east monitoring season. Myself, William (Aldabra Science Coordinator), Rona (Assistant Aldabra Science Coordinator), Clarisha (Ranger), Angela (Trainee Ranger) and Norisha (Health and Safety Assistant) were dropped off at Middle Camp (Malabar) early morning on the 1st August – leaving Picard at around 7am and arriving at MC at around 8am.
Usually William Skippers the boat (Frigate) and we keep it with us for the duration of the camp, but there have been some issues with the boat engines recently and Frigate was out of commission having work done on the engine for most of the week. The decision was made that Frigate would be trialled back in the water again with Zegret (our other small boat) also making the journey as back up support. For this reason Francis (Island Manager) and Yannick (Technician/Mechanic) Skippered Frigate and Zegret, leaving us at MC and collecting us again in the morning of the 4th August.
This camp included the same monitoring as our recent camp trip to DJL. On the first day I cooked lunch and was involved with the Mangrove Fauna monitoring, Landscape Evolution Photos, and Coastal Crab Transect Surveys.
On day two I deployed arthropod pitfall traps with Clarisha before carrying out reptile transect surveys, then in the afternoon I was also on Reptile and Inland Crab transects with Clarisha again.
On day three I was with Rona doing soil testing and tea bag index deployment in the morning, and during the afternoon Angela and I were on reptile surveys and coastal crab transects.
Then on Tuesday Clarisha and I were on Bat SM (song meter) Retrieval (the devices we put out for three nights to record Bat acoustic data) before being collected by Francis and Yanick and returning to Picard. So far Middle Camp Is my favourite camp location, the mangrove leading into it is like something out of Jurassic Park, with Frigates and Red Footed Boobies nesting in the mangroves and flying all around, it’s very picturesque and the hut is right on a gorgeous beach. We also saw lots of fluffy baby boobies in the mangroves as well.
Since returining from MC there has been lots of data entry, sorting, checking and report writing, as well as Species ID and equipment sorting. We have also completed the Arthropod monitoring on Picard in August, having deployed and retreived the Malaise tents and pitfalls last week.
Our next planned camp is at the beginning of September to Cinq Cases.

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