Mexico trip
This summer we had the incredible opportunity to join Operation Wallacea on a two-week research expedition to Mexico – an experience all present will never forget.
The first week was spent deep in the Mayan jungle of the Yucatán peninsula, where we worked with scientists on projects that have been running for over 15 years to monitor biodiversity and the effects of climate change. Our cohort were up at 4am for bird netting surveys, handling and releasing tropical species, and out again at midnight for bat surveys (where we even painted their nails for identification!). Nights were filled with the deafening chorus of frogs by the waterhole, and days with sightings of spider and howler monkeys swinging overhead. We also came across many other animals including snakes, lizards, scorpions, butterflies, caterpillars, spiders and found plenty of puma tracks, even if the elusive jaguar kept out of sight! The conditions were tough, but the experiences made it all worthwhile. Visiting the Mayan temples and learning about the civilisation that built them was absolutely mind-blowing.
The second week couldn’t have been more different. The group travelled to the Caribbean coast – “the home of the turtles” – and either learned to scuba dive or qualified divers took part in a reef ecology course. Diving among incredible coral reefs and schools of tropical fish was surreal, and the highlight had to be swimming alongside three different turtle species. We also carried out underwater quadrat surveys of corals and invertebrates, gaining first-hand insight into the importance of monitoring marine ecosystems.
From the depths of the jungle to the beauty of the ocean, the expedition was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that combined real scientific research with the thrill of discovery. It’s an experience that will stay with everyone on the trip forever.
Download the FREE Wells Cathedral School app to easily keep up with the parts of Wells that interest you, interact with our social media feeds, access useful links more! We highly recommend enabling notifications to stay informed about the many wonderful things happening at our School.
The first week was spent deep in the Mayan jungle of the Yucatán peninsula, where we worked with scientists on projects that have been running for over 15 years to monitor biodiversity and the effects of climate change. Our cohort were up at 4am for bird netting surveys, handling and releasing tropical species, and out again at midnight for bat surveys (where we even painted their nails for identification!). Nights were filled with the deafening chorus of frogs by the waterhole, and days with sightings of spider and howler monkeys swinging overhead. We also came across many other animals including snakes, lizards, scorpions, butterflies, caterpillars, spiders and found plenty of puma tracks, even if the elusive jaguar kept out of sight! The conditions were tough, but the experiences made it all worthwhile. Visiting the Mayan temples and learning about the civilisation that built them was absolutely mind-blowing.
The second week couldn’t have been more different. The group travelled to the Caribbean coast – “the home of the turtles” – and either learned to scuba dive or qualified divers took part in a reef ecology course. Diving among incredible coral reefs and schools of tropical fish was surreal, and the highlight had to be swimming alongside three different turtle species. We also carried out underwater quadrat surveys of corals and invertebrates, gaining first-hand insight into the importance of monitoring marine ecosystems.
From the depths of the jungle to the beauty of the ocean, the expedition was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that combined real scientific research with the thrill of discovery. It’s an experience that will stay with everyone on the trip forever.
Download the FREE Wells Cathedral School app to easily keep up with the parts of Wells that interest you, interact with our social media feeds, access useful links more! We highly recommend enabling notifications to stay informed about the many wonderful things happening at our School.
