It’s not every day you are invited to a private island – but on that day saying ‘Yes’ seemed like a pretty good idea. So, when my PhD student, Sasha Dines was invited to Ilha do Fogo in Mozambique in February, and there was space for me to join the expedition, I literally jumped at the chance.
When Ilha do Fogo was purchased almost a decade ago, the motivation to build a boutique resort quickly went out of the window, and instead, a marine conservation action plan was put in place. Its main goal? To protect the endangered and critically endangered turtles visiting and nesting on the island. From then, the conservation efforts have evolved into a variety of community projects and a portfolio of eco retreats worldwide that fund the endeavors.
The boat ploughs over the gentle chop, leaving the mainland as a speck far behind us. In the distance appears a small island. Not flat, as you expect from a typical tropical island, but with structures that give the impression of boating up to a velvety round cushion. As we get closer, we see the sandy beach circumferencing the island, and a thicket of forest in the middle, with a lighthouse standing tall over the trees.
After the confinement of the last couple of years, it comes as no surprise that most people are yearning to fulfil the plan to finally have their dream wedding. However, large gatherings can still evoke feelings of anxiety in many of us.
One of the many victims was the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, and another, was the endangered green turtle. They came across several discarded turtle shells, upon which, there were markings that were evidently from harpoon points.
When the owner, Robert Koski, and logistics specialist, Jan Van Deventer, visited Ilha do Fogo in Northern Mozambique back in 2014, their agenda was to look into setting up infrastructure for a boutique, five-star resort. However, what they discovered on the island changed the entire course of their plans.
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