Biosphere Expeditions: blogs from the frontline of wildlife conservation & the fight for a more sustainable planet

03/11/202603/11/2026

Unexpected resilience found on Maldives coral reef expedition as local leadership takes the baton ahead of approaching El Niño

Media release – 3 November 2026

Two divers over a coral reef — Divers studying a coral reef on the Maldives coral reef expedition

Biosphere Expeditions has concluded its 15th annual Maldives coral reef conservation expedition. Operating amidst the complex pressures of marine over-development and shifting climatic baselines, citizen scientists and marine researchers completed rigorous Reef Check surveys, yielding both cautious optimism and stark warnings for the future of tropical reef ecosystems.

31/10/202601/11/2026

South Africa biodiversity conservation 2026: Refugium

Update from our South Africa biodiversity conservation expedition

A group of people sitting on a verandah and smiling into the camera — Team 1

Team 1 is here. Not without challenge due to duff cars, but it does not matter. What matters is that they are here to help and bear witness, to collect data and support our scientist Dr Alan Lee and the refugium has has built. They are here to put in their time and effort – and their money – to make it all happen. Thank you.

28/10/202628/10/2026

South Africa biodiversity conservation 2026: People & tasks

Update from our South Africa biodiversity conservation expedition

View over the mountainous karoo landscape of Blue Hill Reserve — View over the karoo landscape of Blue Hill Reserve

The mountains of Blue Hill and beyond are as beautiful as ever. Our prep work for the expedition is continuing and the weather does not look too bad for the next few days – it’s the mountains and karoo after all.

26/10/202626/10/2026

South Africa biodiversity conservation 2026: Starter

Update from our South Africa biodiversity conservation expedition

I am Malika (see my picture at the bottom), your expedition leader on our South Africa Biodiversity Conservation Expeditions. With me is Anna, our camp manager, who’ll manage all things related to food in the beautiful Hartebeest Rivier mountains.

23/10/202623/10/2026

Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: Quiet joy

Update from our Maldives coral reef conservation expedition

Three people diving over a coral reef — Reef and Reef Checkers

The last slates have been scrubbed clean, the transect lines coiled away, and the hum of the compressor has finally fallen silent. Our Reef Check surveys for 2026 have drawn to a close.

As grey clouds race across the horizon and our boat is rocked by waves and wind, our Reef Check findings leave us with a bittersweet feeling: the reefs are holding out better than we had dared to hope. Against the odds, the blue depths still pulse with life, displaying a stubborn resilience in the face of warming seas, overfishing, over-development and just too much human impact. It is a moment of quiet joy of an unexpectedly positive result.

21/10/202621/10/2026

Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: Rhythm

Update from our Maldives coral reef conservation expedition

Four people diving over a coral reef — Reef and Reef Checkers

We are now fully into our Reef Check rhythm, swaying side to side on our liveaboard, blue above and below, broken by gleaming sand, the odd palm tree and the relentless pace of resort overdevelopment all around.

19/10/202620/10/2026

Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: Corallimorphs

Update from our Maldives coral reef conservation expedition

A diver with a slate above a reef — Checking that reef along the transect line

One day later and almost everyone is now a Reef Check EcoDiver. Well done! So off we went to a site in the north of Kaalo Atoll to check on a reef that we had not looked at for over a decade.

18/10/202618/10/2026

Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: Mind dump & stewardship

Update from our Maldives coral reef conservation expedition

Group of people sitting in a liveaboard lobby — Teaching session

It’s day 2 of our coral reef conservation expedition to the Maldives. All bar one (whose flight was re-routed mid-air) are here and learning to distinguish reef substrate (such as hard coral, sponge, sand, silt, rubble, soft coral and more) as I type this. There will be more about fish, invertebrates and coral damage and disease – in and out of the water – as we go through this mind dump day.

15/10/202615/10/2026

Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: Last year and Saturday

Update from our Maldives coral reef conservation expedition

Two divers on a coral reef — Surveying a reef in 2025

As our 2026 team prepares to gather in Malé for the start of our 2026 expedition this Saturday, we have been reviewing the detailed findings from our 2025 survey season. Our 13th annual survey report highlights the complex realities facing coral reef conservation Maldives.

13/10/202613/10/2026

Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: 15th expedition year!

Update from our Maldives coral reef conservation expedition

Four divers, a reef and a white transect tape — A team surveying a reef along a 100 m transect tape

This October, Biosphere Expeditions will run its 15th Maldives expedition. This continues our long-standing citizen-science project in the Maldives, focusing on coral reef health through hands-on volunteer expeditions. Since 2011, these marine surveys have been an important constant of local reef conservation, blending scientific rigour, citizen science and immersive adventure.

I am Matthias Hammer, founder and CEO of Biosphere Expeditions, and I will also be your expedition leader.

Dr. Matthias Hammer giving a talk — Dr. Matthias Hammer

Biosphere Expeditions: blogs from the frontline of wildlife conservation & the fight for a more sustainable planet

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Unexpected resilience found on Maldives coral reef expedition as local leadership takes the baton ahead of approaching El Niño

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South Africa biodiversity conservation 2026: Refugium

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South Africa biodiversity conservation 2026: People & tasks

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South Africa biodiversity conservation 2026: Starter

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Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: Quiet joy

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Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: Rhythm

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Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: Corallimorphs

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Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: Mind dump & stewardship

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Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: Last year and Saturday

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Coral reef conservation Maldives 2026: 15th expedition year!

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