Author: Biosphere Expeditions

For wildlife, not profit Our planet is in crisis, with nature under attack like never before. We believe everyone has the power to change this. We are mindful of nature and empower people through citizen science and hands-on wildlife conservation. We are a non-profit, visionary, award-winning and ethical conservation organisation. We are a member of the IUCN and the UN's Environment Programme. Working hand-in-hand with local biologists and communities, we champion change and protect nature. And we succeed - the creation of protected areas on four continents is just one example. Come and join us! Make your holiday time count and share in our vision of a healthier planet. Whatever your age or background, make your voice heard and spend a week or more on a wildlife conservation expedition with us. Travel with us to remote and beautiful places, learn new skills, meet like-minded people from around the world and experience conservation in action. Together - for nature, not profit - let's act like our world depends on it. Because it does.
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How a Maldives Conservation Expedition Gave Savannah Schilling a Sense of Purpose

Woman sitting in front of snow-covered mountains
Savannah Schilling

For Savannah Schilling, one of the most unexpected and lasting impacts of her Biosphere Expeditions experience was the people.

In the middle of the Indian Ocean, with limited WiFi and a shared purpose, she found herself part of something rare — a group brought together not just by travel, but by a genuine commitment to understanding and protecting the natural world.

It was an experience that felt both grounding and energising.

She quickly realised she was surrounded by others dedicated to conservation and making the world a better place for all living things.

‘It made me realise how many people care about conservation and want to help in a meaningful way. It was truly inspiring.’ That sense of connection would go on to shape her entire experience. But when Savannah first arrived in the Maldives, she wasn’t sure what she would find.

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Conservation Travel: Ethical Volunteering’s New Frontier

Media release – 28 April 2026

Four people bent over a headlamp light at night, one of them has a small bat in his hands
Citizen scientists doing bat work at night in Malawi

As the 2026 travel season is in full swing, a fundamental shift is redefining the “adventure” in adventure travel. Moving beyond the passive observation of traditional safaris, a new generation of travellers is choosing conservation travel: a model where travellers swap binoculars for data sheets and camera traps.

In an era where biodiversity loss is increasingly linked to multi-faceted global threats, ethical wildlife volunteering has emerged as the most meaningful way to explore the planet. Leading this evolution since 1999 is Biosphere Expeditions, a non-profit organisation whose “citizen science” model has become the industry gold standard for transparency, scientific rigour, and ethical integrity.

Divers on a reef
Citizen scientists surveying a reef
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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
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.

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Azores expedition 2026: The End

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

Common dolphin jumping
Common dolphin jumping

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.

Mural in Horta harbour to commemorate the expedition
Mural in Horta harbour to commemorate the expedition – a tradition in that harbour
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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
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Azores expedition 2026: Going to plan

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

Blue whale fluke
Blue whale fluke

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
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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
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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.

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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
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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
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