Hi, I’m Bethany, the newest marine biology intern at Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa. Leaving a rainy, cold February in Scotland and arriving to blue skies, white sands, and thirty-degree heat, I felt like I was dreaming! The Maldives has always been high on my bucket list of places to visit, so getting the opportunity to live and work on an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean for three months felt unbelievable.
On arrival at Kuda Huraa, I spent my quarantine days in a guest villa, practising underwater photography in the pool with my new GoPro. I could hear the waves from inside my room, making me eager to jump straight into the water and start working.
In just my first week, I witnessed more marine life of all colours, shapes, patterns, and sizes than I have so far in my marine biology career. From sharks and eels to spinner dolphins and sea turtles, plus all the reef fish you can imagine… it’s difficult to know where to look. Once back on land, I research everything I see, meaning that I am learning more and more species every day. My new favourite fish – the bannerfish, oriental sweet lips and clown triggerfish – are actually all the same colours of black, white and yellow, but in completely different shapes and patterns.
![marine biology internship Maldives [Bethany] kayak marine biology internship Maldives [Bethany] kayak](https://marinesavers.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/marine-biology-internship-Maldives-Bethany-5-1080.jpg)
Taking out the kayak to start work on our corals … reminds me why I didn’t want an office job!
As an intern, my main tasks at the Marine Discovery Centre include cleaning the two aquariums and feeding the inhabitants, and building coral frames sponsored by guests. Coral knowledge is not my strongest point, but I have always found artificial reefs fascinating. Building the coral frames involves many stages, starting with the collection of coral fragments (from the smallest of fragments, a whole new colony can grow). Fragments of opportunity are coral pieces that are still alive, lying on the seabed having recently broken off from other coral frames, making them the best option to build our frames (and we also harvest small cuttings from the blossoming colonies on existing frames). Once the fragments are attached and the frame is complete and positioned at its location on the reef, the first monitoring photos are taken.
With hundreds of frames around the island, monitoring their growth is a major ongoing task that it is made more enjoyable by the encounters with marine life you can find sheltering in the frames, from the smallest crabs and pipefish to larger species such as pufferfish; even sharks, rays and turtles can be spotted visiting the coral frames. With climate change and bleaching events impacting corals around the world, I’m grateful to know I am doing my part, along with the help of the frame sponsors, to support the biodiverse marine life that is dependent on the coral reefs.
![marine biology internship Maldives [Bethany] coral frames marine biology internship Maldives [Bethany] coral frames](https://marinesavers.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/marine-biology-internship-Maldives-Bethany-3-1080.jpg)
As an intern I also get the chance to help with guest excursions, snorkelling other reefs around the atoll in search of exciting marine life, (with my favourite being the ray safari), and enjoying dolphin-watching cruises each week. I have been presenting to groups of guests about Maldivian marine life and educating them on the many threats the world’s oceans are facing right now. The best part is seeing the excitement on the guests faces when they get to experience the marine life first-hand, seeing the spinner dolphins jumping out of the water, finding a “Nemo fish” in an anemone, or spotting their first wild turtle on the reef.
![marine biology internship Maldives [Bethany] crab marine biology internship Maldives [Bethany] crab](https://marinesavers.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/marine-biology-internship-Maldives-Bethany-2-1080.jpg)
Rust-spotted guard crab found living in a coral colony on one of our coral frames.
Time goes so fast when you are having fun! My first month has flown by, and I’ve already had to say goodbye to my first friend and fellow intern Laura, who has taught me everything there is to know about the internship tasks and life around Kuda Huraa. I’m so grateful to her for looking out for me, and wish her all the best for the future. In the next two months, I am looking forward to diving and discovering what new creatures are lurking within the depths. I will keep practising my underwater photography and continuing to enjoy life on the island and in the ocean around it.
See you in Chapter 2 !
Bethany 💙
![marine biology internship Maldives [Bethany] portrait marine biology internship Maldives [Bethany] portrait](https://marinesavers.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/marine-biology-internship-Maldives-Bethany-1-800.jpg)
It’s another beautiful day here at Kuda Huraa ☀️
![marine biology internship Maldives [Bethany] dolphin marine biology internship Maldives [Bethany] dolphin](https://marinesavers.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/marine-biology-internship-Maldives-Bethany-4-800.jpg)
My first spinner dolphin photo … but I need to work on my focus!

Do you want to experience life as a marine biologist
here in the Maldives ?
Head over to our Employment page to read about the different ways you can work with us - full time, apprentice or intern.
And see more from our Interns in their very own words & photos as part of our Diary / Blog series.