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

26/04/202626/04/2026

Azores expedition 2026: Wrap-up

Update from our marine conservation volunteering holiday in the Azores archipelago, working on whales, dolphins and turtles

Mural in Horta harbour to commemorate the expedition – a tradition in that harbour

Biosphere Expeditions has completed its 20th year monitoring cetaceans in the Azores, an area supporting over 25 species. Unlike short-term whale watching, scientific research requires decades to reveal meaningful patterns in how whales and dolphins use the ocean. This long-term data bank grows in value as it helps address future conservation challenges.

Recent findings from 170 encounters include matching images of sperm, humpback, and blue whales to records spanning 15 years across Northern Europe. While some species like Risso’s dolphins appeared in lower numbers this year, citizen scientists also documented rarer sightings of sei and Cuvier’s beaked whales.

By conducting fieldwork in March – outside the typical tourism season – the team captures data that would otherwise be missed. Made possible through citizen science for two decades now, this research is vital for the long-term protection of cetaceans, ensuring informed management of their habitats across the Atlantic Ocean.

20/04/202621/04/2026

Azores expedition 2026: The End

Update from our marine conservation volunteering holiday in the Azores archipelago, working on whales, dolphins and turtles

Suddenly the end of the Azores expedition is upon us. That fact that five weeks seems to have flown by, is a good thing, time flies when you are having fun and we have had a great expedition.

With the international team now spreading their wings to various corners of the globe and some adjusting to last minute re-routes, it is time to return home. However, let me first (briefly) recap the last couple of days, before I wrap the expedition as a whole, as we still had some highs and lows to experience.

17/04/202617/04/2026

Azores expedition 2026: Land & sea

Update from our marine conservation volunteering holiday in the Azores archipelago, working on whales, dolphins and turtles

Common dolphin in clear waters — Common dolphin

The last few days have been split between survey time on the boat and time on shore. Both dealing with data and having a well-earned break.

Humpback whale encounters were the theme for the weekend, but this doesn’t tell the whole story. Heading north on both Saturday and Sunday, our weekend started with a brief glimpse of a minke whale. There followed the search for two humpback whales which were trailed in 4 m swells, making it more than challenging to get ID photographs.

All the while both bottlenose and common dolphins were trying to distract us. But sperm whales then followed and meant a much ‘calmer’ afternoon.

One person, all bundled up in clothing, looking over the ocean from a boat — On the lookout for cetaceans

14/04/202614/04/2026

Azores expedition 2026: Going to plan

Update from our marine conservation volunteering holiday in the Azores archipelago, working on whales, dolphins and turtles

The final ‘leg’ of the 2026 Azores Expedition has begun. We welcomed our third and final group. With greetings, briefings and training sessions efficiently covered, we were all keen to get out to sea.

Four people standing on the box of a boat in the ocean — Group 3 at work

13/04/202601/04/2026

In an AI world, more people are turning to wildlife conservation

4 people looking at a herd of elephants at sunset — Elephants outside the Malawi expedition base

The latest Biosphere Expeditions Annual Magazine reveals how hands-on conservation is changing lives and delivering real results for nature.

Real experience in nature vs. the digital AI world

As digital technology reshapes how we live and work, a growing number of people are seeking something radically different: real-world experiences that reconnect them with nature, purpose, and each other.

The new 2025 Annual Magazine from Biosphere Expeditions captures this shift, telling the stories of everyday people who have stepped away from screens and routines to take part in hands-on wildlife conservation. From tracking wolves in Germany, to protecting coral reefs in the Maldives and surveying snow leopards in remote mountain ranges.

A large group of people waving into the camera, holding up a Biosphere Expeditions flag — Cover of the 2025 Annual Magazine

10/04/202610/04/2026

How going on wildlife expeditions as a child shaped me as an adult

Child standing in the savannah, smiling — In Namibia 2005

I grew up surrounded by nature, conservation and expeditions. My father founded Biosphere Expeditions three years before I was born, so from a very young age, I travelled to places that most people only ever see in documentaries. Those experiences shaped how I see the world, how I travel and how I think about conservation.

My first expedition was in 2002, when I was just six months old, to Ukraine – which of course I don’t remember. But the expeditions I do remember had a huge impact on me.

In 2008 and 2010, when I was six and eight years old, I spent my summers in Namibia. I remember the vast landscapes, the people and, of course, the animals.

08/04/202608/04/2026

Azores expedition 2026: Seeing sei

Update from our marine conservation volunteering holiday in the Azores archipelago, working on whales, dolphins and turtles

Fluke of a humpback whale thrashing ocean water — Humpback tail lob

Having now spent a few days at sea, the whole team is very familiar with the daily routine. Whether team members are on lookout, data collection or the camera, everyone knows their role on the boat. This seems to include starting most days with a humpback ‘hunt’.

Three people looking out over the ocean from a boat — On the lookout for cetaceans

05/04/202607/04/2026

Azores expedition 2026: Changing fortunes

Update from our marine conservation volunteering holiday in the Azores archipelago, working on whales, dolphins and turtles

A person sitting on a boat with headphones on, listening for whales — Listening for whales

Our survey days often start quietly, with limited information from our vigias (lookouts). But on Tuesday things changed. Our luck, like the weather, improved.

Four people on the bow of a boat looking for cetaceans — On the lookout for cetaceans

02/04/202601/04/2026

The moment conservation becomes personal: Stories highlighting the human heart of wildlife protection

Media release – 2 April 2026

Two people measuring and calming a sea turtle on a beach at sunrise — Two citizen scientists measuring and calming a sea turtle on a beach at sunrise

Around the world, ordinary people are stepping onto the frontlines of wildlife conservation. Not as tourists, but as citizen scientists, they help track species, collect critical data and support conservation of wild animals and places that would otherwise not be possible.

The new 2025 Annual Magazine from award-winning NGO Biosphere Expeditions brings these stories together, revealing the people behind global wildlife research and the real impact they are having in the field.

The Magazine celebrates the ‘Human Factor’. The volunteers, local communities and scientists whose lives have been touched by working on the frontlines of wildlife conservation.

31/03/202631/03/2026

Azores expedition 2026: Baleen baptism

Update from our marine conservation volunteering holiday in the Azores archipelago, working on whales, dolphins and turtles

A group of people sitting around a table — Group 2

Welcome to group 2 – our most diverse (in terms of nationalities) this year. This includes our Singaporean quartet and our local student placement from Portugal.

Three people sitting in a boat on the ocean, looking at the water — On the lookout for cetaceans

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

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Azores expedition 2026: Wrap-up

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Azores expedition 2026: The End

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Azores expedition 2026: Land & sea

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Azores expedition 2026: Going to plan

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In an AI world, more people are turning to wildlife conservation

Real experience in nature vs. the digital AI world

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How going on wildlife expeditions as a child shaped me as an adult

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Azores expedition 2026: Seeing sei

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Azores expedition 2026: Changing fortunes

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The moment conservation becomes personal: Stories highlighting the human heart of wildlife protection

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Azores expedition 2026: Baleen baptism

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Real experience in nature vs. the digital AI world

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