Step into the role of a marine biologist for a week, joining our team in Panama’s Las Perlas Islands' pristine waters to support essential shark, ray, and turtle monitoring efforts.

Located within the Eastern Tropical Pacific’s Bay of Panama, the breathtaking Las Perlas Archipelago is a global biodiversity hotspot, home to diverse marine habitats supporting sharks, rays, sea turtles, and a wide variety of finfish species.

Despite its ecological richness, this region faces significant conservation challenges due to limited management and a lack of baseline scientific data. On this expedition, you’ll be at the forefront of addressing these gaps. Working alongside our experienced team of researchers and local fishers, you’ll receive hands-on training in monitoring techniques, species identification, and tagging of marine megafauna, with optional opportunities to engage in data analysis that supports ongoing conservation studies.

As an expedition volunteer, you will actively contribute to fieldwork from day one. Guided by local experts, you will learn and apply scientific methodologies while exploring vibrant reefs, deploying underwater camera systems, and assisting with the capture, tagging, and release of sharks and turtles.

Join us on this unparalleled Expedition, where each moment promises discovery, adventure, and a profound connection with the mesmerizing world beneath the waves.

Immerse yourself in marine science and learn the following scientific techniques:

• Species ID: Identifying marine megafauna, including sharks, rays, turtles, and piscivorous fishes, is essential for assessing marine ecosystem biodiversity. This process involves recognizing species by specific physical characteristics and behaviors, providing critical data for conservation. Accurate species identification enables scientists to monitor population trends, understand ecological roles, and evaluate the health of marine habitats.

• Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUVs): Join us in the deployment and analysis of these ingenious underwater camera traps, offering a glimpse into the hidden world beneath the waves and aiding in the assessment of shark abundance, diversity, and distribution, alongside other mesmerizing marine species attracted to the bait.

• Longline: Immerse yourself in shark and ray conservation by assisting with the capture, tagging, and release of these majestic creatures. From baiting and setting longlines to collecting biometric and environmental data, you’ll gain invaluable skills in handling techniques designed to ensure the safe and responsible management of shark and ray populations

• Turtle Tagging: Delve into sea turtle conservation as you learn the intricacies of safely capturing, tagging, and releasing these ancient mariners, contributing to our efforts to protect and preserve these remarkable creatures for future generations.

From her early days growing up by the sea in Tunisia, Dr. Rachel Graham was drawn to research, conservation, and development across Latin America, Africa, and Micronesia. For over 30 years, she has worked with the private sector and organizations such as the United Nations, University of York, Smithsonian Institution, and Wildlife Conservation Society. In 2014, Rachel founded the international NGO MarAlliance to promote inclusive, grassroots science and marine conservation.

For over two decades, Rachel has lived in Belize and worked with fishers and partners in several countries to identify threats, research needs, and conservation opportunities for threatened marine wildlife and their critical habitats. Her work has driven megafauna research and conservation worldwide, and she actively serves on the IUCN Shark Specialist Group, co-founding several National Shark Advisory Committees to advance policy reform for elasmobranchs.

In recognition of her contributions, Rachel received the Whitley Fund for Nature Gold Award in 2011 and the Pew Marine Fellowship in 2021 for her shark research and conservation work. Rachel holds a BSc in Zoology from Oxford, an MSc from Edinburgh, and a PhD from the University of York, UK. She is especially proud of her two sons, who share her passion for fishing and marine conservation.