Changing careers is always daunting; no matter how sure you feel, there is always that voice in your head saying, ‘you might end up hating it, this is a mistake’. I was hearing it earlier in the summer when I left my…

Opwall runs an incredibly diverse range of surveys across our numerous research sites. As such, our science program has become rather complex, and it can be quite hard to keep track of all the different terminology we use to describe the things…

With continued rising ocean temperatures and increasingly frequent bleaching events, a long-term study from Japan has offered a hopeful insight: corals on artificial reefs recover significantly faster than those on natural ones (Tanaya et al 2025). In Naha Port, corals placed on…

There are many career paths available for people with experience in conservation and an interest in STEM which offer opportunities to contribute to sustainable development and environmental protection. Some of the possible roles are listed below: Environmental Scientist Role: Study human impacts…

I feel like this expedition helped not only nurture my love for science and the natural environment, but also pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow as a person. I learned much from my expedition in Honduras, not…

It’s been a while but we are back with another new science spotlight blog, highlighting some more of the fantastic work done by our academic partners and students. In this edition, we showcase another set of brand new species descriptions – this…

After graduating from high school, I was eager to gain real-world experience in wildlife and ecosystems before starting my studies in Wildlife Management at Stephen F. Austin University’s School of Forestry. My passion for zoology led me to Operation Wallacea (Opwall), where…

You may have heard of the State of Nature report in conversation or in a lecture or a newspaper article but may not have looked into it further. Here we save you the trouble of reading the entire document with a bit…

I participated in the Madagascar trip from the 4th to the 21st of July and it was probably one of the best experiences in my life so far! I came into the trip very excited and a little anxious but left Madagascar…

RARElab: A new Opwall collaboration towards Rediscovering and Protecting Lost and Understudied Species We are facing a biodiversity crisis, although resolving this is hampered by how little we know about global diversity. Despite discovering approximately 18,000 new species each year, scientists estimate…

As our boat sped across the surf break waters of Sodwana Bay, the salty spray from the ocean splashing me and the excitement of what we may see today being the buzz on board. My Opwall friends chatting excitedly, their main point…

Starting a career in conservation is a daunting task – where should I start? What qualifications do I need? What is a career in this field like? However it is an incredibly rewarding career to be in and so hopefully we can…