The Gap Year Blog

Hunting was a necessity for many people in prehistoric times, now, most hunters stalk and kill animals merely to show off to their friends or for the thrill of it. Displacing animals and ripping their families apart, animals are becoming confused and alone, leaving countless animals orphaned and vulnerable to other animal predators.

It’s 4am and my alarm is blaring, it’s time to wake up. Dragging myself out of bed to find my good friend the kettle, dodging the cane toads in the dark, to make myself a big strong cup of coffee to fuel myself in this predawn hour.

The highlight of my trip so far has probably been the visit to Tanikelly, a remote island off Nosy be. Here I got the chance to snorkel amongst the reefs and see lots of different colourful fish, some larger than I expected. I also came to the realisation that I’m not a fan of jellyfish and seeing them heading towards you in the water is less than ideal. The highlight of my day was getting up close and personal with a turtle which is something I’ve always wanted to do!

Frontier Madagascar, where work is rewarding, staff are family, and your boss is your friend. Being responsible for the livelihoods of volunteers, young and old, on weekdays and weekends, may sound to some as a tiresome and never-ending task.

Sofia Regalado, 23, has studied at both the College of the Holy Cross in Boston, USA, and the University of Melbourne, Australia, where she pursued her interest in the environment with Environmental Science and specialised in tropical ecosystems. Now that she's decided to settle in London for a while, we are lucky enough to have her with us as a Research & Development Intern. We spoke to her about conservation and her position at Frontier...

Climate change is one of the largest issues the world is facing. Pollution, urbanization, deforestation, the growth of livestock farming is all putting increasing pressure on the planet and its natural resources. This strain, along with the resulting climate change, is affecting every country in the world.

After a massive surge in the number of vegans in the last decade, many people are adopting the life of a vegan this January. People are realising the benefits of becoming a vegan, from a healthier diet, a better mindset, to just a way of trying to stay planet-friendly.

I’m Max and I’ve been with Frontier in Tenerife for the conservation of whales and dolphins. At first, I expected this trip to be just a bit interesting and useful for my uni application.

The Potoos - mysterious and enigmatic birds belonging to the neotropical family Nyctibiidae are strictly nocturnal. Their general appearance strongly resembles the well- known European Nightjar, however unlike nightjars they roost in a stiff, upright position.

Every friday, on the project here in Tenerife is beach clean. So basically we visit different beaches and collect whatever rubbish we can find so that it can‘t harm anything anymore.