Caitlin will be travelling to Sri Lanka & Thailand in autumn 2024. She will write up her experience upon her return. 

Caitlin in Grade 12 – Going to Sri Lanka & Thailand – Conservation
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In Sri Lanka, I will be volunteering for conservation of turtles, many of which are under threat or at risk of becoming endangered. The protection of the animals is particularly prevalent in the area I will be based at because of plastic pollution. Injured or disabled turtles and baby turtles are also at risk from the local poachers and the fishermen who catch the turtles in their nets and bring them to the sanctuary. What attracted me to also want to go to Thailand, was the sheer size of the elephants I would be working with. Being a horse rider, I understand how challenging handling a 600 kg horse can be, let alone a 4,000 kg Asian Elephant. The elephant is the national symbol of Thailand and yet you cannot ignore the negative impacts the tourist industry and logging has had on these animals. It really touched me to see them being forced to destroy the very habitat they depend on to live for the benefit of humans. We have put these animals in a situation of danger, and if we lose these animals of such great size, we truly have no hope in preserving others. During this project I will be working on the preservation and wellbeing of these elephants.