Maggie Moore developed a lifelong passion for conservation after being awarded an Earthwatch Millennium Fellowship to visit Costa Rica as part of a Sea Turtle conservation project.

Her work included patrolling sections of a seven kilometre stretch of beach, heavily guarded to guarded to prevent poachers gathering eggs as they were laid by Giant Leatherback turtles.

"When walking on an unprotected beach I saw where some eggs had been predated, but at the bottom of a hole I spotted a tiny, crumpled shape. It turned out to be a dehydrated baby Olive Ridley Turtle. I carried it for 2 miles and waded out to sea, where it inflated like a balloon and swam away. It was a small act but I often think of that turtle.”

 ^{Photo Credit: David Levêque, Unsplash}

After returning, she gave talks to local conservation and community groups about the risk the species faces unless there is greater international support for its preservation.