Hello its Heather, its been another year since my last update. I am just about to start my third year at Chester University studying Conservation Biology and still enjoying travelling.

During my second year I spent 11 days in Grenada collecting data for my dissertation on Oeceoclades maculata. I was collecting data on their distribution and abundance trying to find out how they can thrive in so many locations.

During my summer this year I spent 2 months in South Africa with GVI doing a wildlife conservation internship. I spent my 2 months helping collect data on the Big 5 species along with cheetahs. On the internship I learnt lots about track and sign, bird identification and camera traps for hyeana research. During the 2 months I managed to put my university course to good practice by helping create some GIS maps for the reserve and getting hands on experience with research collection and reserve management.

On all my trips I have always struggled to identify orchids that are not in tropical rain forest however this trip I managed to spot many Ansellia africana including this one below with many seed pods.