Tag: conservation

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Sweden : Wrap-up

Update from our Sweden bear volunteer project

The 2025 expedition is done. Over 10 expedition days and with the help of ten citizen and professional scientists from six countries (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, UK), we found and recorded 51 dens (17 anthill, 4 anthill/soil, 6 nest, 16 rock and 8 soil dens). We also collected 11 first scats at dens, which is a record that Dr. Andrea Friebe, the expedition scientist, called “sensational”. We also removed three camera traps and entered all the data into the database. This has once again been a very significant contribution to the Scandinavian Brown Bear Research Project’s database and studies and we are expecting scientific publications that use these data soon (as well as the usual annual expedition report).

Thank you so much to all our citizen scientists who have made this possible by contributing their time and funds. Without you, there would be no expedition. You have been an exceptionally effective and determined team and we take our hats off to you for the effort you have put in.

Team 2025

So, since 2019, this expedition has developed into an essential data collection part of the Scandinavian Brown Bear Research Project, because it collects – over a relatively short period each year – large amounts of den and scat data through the concentrated efforts of citizen scientists. For example, in 2019 the expedition visited 28 bear den sites and mapped 24, found 10 scats at 15 bear cluster sites, recovered a bear skeleton from a bog for further analysis, recovered a valuable transmitter, covered over 2,000 km of the study site and had two bear encounters, increasing the SBBRP’s bear den database by between a third and a half. After an unwanted Covid-break, the 2023 expedition visited 68 sites, including 38 winter dens and 35 scat collections, ten of which were ‘first scats of the season’ (especially valuable samples that can reveal what a bear has eaten before and during hibernation). The 2024 expedition surveyed 27 dens, and collected 56 scat samples including three samples of ‘first scats of the season’. The 2025 expedition surveyed 51 dens, and collected a record 11 first scats. The SBBRP expedition scientist has called the contributions of the expeditions over the years “invaluable” and “sensational”.

So I leave you with some impressions of the last few days and some citizen scientist feedback. Thank you so much again and safe travels onwards or home. We hope to meet you again on an expedition, somewhere, somewhen on this fragile planet of ours.

I really liked how we were able to go out independently in small groups and were trusted to conduct our fieldwork to a high standard. It was all amazing.
Keira W., Australia

I really enjoyed the satisfaction of helping to gather data so scientists can makes sense of how climate breakdown is affecting flagship species. Also the age of participants – I’ve been on a number of projects with other organisations where everyone around me was below 25.
Chai H., UK

I really enjoyed staying here and I am not sure whether anything can match the experience I had here. The work with our local scientist Andrea was so joyful and fantastic. I also learnt a lot about bears. I hope I can join the expedition again in another year.
Sarah H., Germany

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Sweden : Dens galore

Update from our Sweden bear volunteer project

Over the past week, we’ve been checking the hell out of the dens within an hour’s drive of the base in all directions. We’ve studied and recorded soil, rock, anthill, nest and all manner of weird and wonderful dens, crawled into almost all of them (thank you Keira and Sarah for being the pre-eminent den crawlers) to measure and study the inside, found evidence of cubs and feeding and preying and playing.

Here’s a den gallery:

To get to the dens, we’ve negotiated broken ground, bogs, steep hills, gentle slopes, beautiful meadows, rock falls, woods and forests, plantations and clear-cuts, as well as lakes and waterways.

Highlights included coming across a bear crossing the road (“we were all too busy screaming to take pictures”), fox, moose, capercaillie and various other birdlife, crossing a lake on a paddle board to get to a den on a small island, and the team meeting at a local beauty spot for lunch.

Island den-checking

Tomorrow is our last survey day. It’ll be more dens and retrieving some camera traps. Our scientist Andrea will also present some preliminary results. I will share this all in the next diary entry, before we part, ready for a holiday after this research expedition. Thank you for den-checking your guts out team! You deserve a holiday 😉

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Sweden : Groove

Update from our Sweden bear volunteer project

After two days of training and recording den data as one group, we have been let loose and are now on our second day of collecting den data by ourselves, in three groups of two or three people.

Each morning Andrea assigns dens to us, hidden in the forest. We get their GPS position and some background information and then have to work out how to get there, first in the car, mainly on forest roads to advance as close to the den as we can. Then it’s on foot through enchanted, pathless forests, picking our way through wetlands, bolder fields, carpets of moss, over rocks, birds for company. Sunshine and light through the clouds change as we walk and clamber through quiet groves, past springs and fallen trees to our object of desire: a bear den. Sometimes we only have a few hundred metres to go, sometimes one or two kilometres. It’s slow going. You have to pick a path through the trees, watch your direction on the GPS. It slows you down. It’s not a race. You sink into the forest. Deceleration. Sometimes it’s only a few minutes to the den, sometimes an hour or more.

Once at the den, which wants to be found first too, lots of measurements need to be taken. How big is the den and its inside chamber (crawl inside for this)? What bedding did the bear use? What trees make up the surrounding forest? Are there any scratch marks around or scat (collect this). Are there signs of cubs, such as small scratch marks low down on trees, and more. This takes about another hour and is all meticulously recorded. Then back to the car and onto the next den. A group manages between a couple and half a dozen a day, depending how far apart they are in the forest and on the roads.

Measuring the inside of a den

Back to base in the afternoon for a de-brief session where each group tells the others what they found. Tips & tricks are exchanged, Andrea asks questions, wants to know more. Then data entry into the computer and a well-deserved hot dinner. Some fireplace conversations perhaps, for those who haven’t crashed already. Ready for the next day.

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Sweden : Start

Update from our Sweden bear volunteer project

We’re off with everyone here. After some “express-incheckning” in Mora we proceeded to the expedition base and went straight into training for the rest of the morning and early afternoon: What the project is about, why citizen science is so important to it, how the bears are doing, what we will be doing, how to use a GPS & compass, how to pack your research bag and more.

In the afternoon, we checked out some old dens to see what a rock and anthill den look like, as well as an open hibernation nest (the big males just make one of those and let themselves get snowed in). Then a short lecture, dinner with the fire roaring, crash.

More of the same tomorrow. Boring, this life of a field biologist 😉

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Sweden : Snow

Update from our Sweden bear volunteer project

Sweden is as beautiful as ever, so is our expedition base and the surrounding forest. Note that it snowed today.

Snow in May

The bears have not fared too well over the past 12 months. The government has slashed the number of bears it wants alive in Sweden from 2800 to 1400. This has meant that over the past year lots of bears have been killed in the study site, many of them with collars. At the same time the SBBRP has been starved of funds. How all this impacts what we do on the expedition this year, Andrea will explain when you get here. Suffice it to say that your contribution will be as important as ever, if not more.

On the bright side, we’ll be getting everything ready for you over the next few days. The weather forecast says the weather should improve and get warmer by the time you arrive, but come prepared for fours seasons anyway.

So safe travels and I’ll leave you with some impressions from today…

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Sweden : Opener

Update from our Sweden bear volunteer project

It’s time for our 2025 edition of our Sweden bear expedition, working in collaboration with Björn & Vildmark (bear & wilderness). I am Matthias Hammer and I will be your expedition leader this year.

Expedition base

This is our fifth citizen science research expedition in Dalarna province, Sweden, gathering field data on brown bears (Ursus arctos), contributing to the conservation of this iconic Scandinavian mammal. The data collected is used by the trans-national Scandinavian Brown Bear Research Project (SBBRP). Expedition scientist Dr Andrea Friebe has worked in the SBBRP since 1998 and wrote her master thesis and dissertation about brown bear hibernation and ecology in Sweden.

Dr. Andrea Friebe

The main focus of the Biosphere Expeditions brown bear research expeditions is locating and surveying winter dens used by bears that have previously been fitted with tracking devices. Once the bears have left in spring, each winter den is then carefully measured by the citizen scientists and a wide range of data are collected relating to the type of den, the surrounding habitat and any evidence of cubs and/or bear scats at the den site. The data gathered by the expeditions are used by the SBBRP as part of their long-term research programme following the lives of specific bears from birth to death, to gain insights into bear diet, weight development, patterns of movement, colonisation of new areas, choice of den, social behaviour, mortality and reproduction. Inter-species interaction with moose and domestic livestock have also been investigated, as well as the sensitivity of bears to human disturbance and human-bear conflict. The purpose of this all this is to provide managers in Norway and Sweden with solid, fact-based knowledge to meet present and future challenges by managing the population of brown bears, which is both an important hunted species and a source of conflict, and whose management has been changing rapidly in recent years.

Investigating a den

So, here we are. I hope you have read the latest expedition reports, your preparations are going well and you are all excited. I will be a few days ahead of you and my next diary entry will be from Sweden with updates from the ground.

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Azores : Round-up 2025

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

Whale watching can be undertaken in a matter of hours, but monitoring cetaceans to better understand their spatial and temporal use of different areas of our oceans – takes years. Biosphere Expeditions has just completed their latest expedition in the Azores, and is rapidly approaching two decades of monitoring, in an area of the Atlantic Ocean supporting over 25 different cetacean species.

Cetacean research questions cannot often be addressed (with any certainty) in a month or a single year. Data collection may take a decade or longer, to reveal meaningful patterns and this is the case with the cetaceans of the Azores. The true value may not always be in the ‘here and now’, but be realized as future questions or challenges arise. Such a data bank will only accrue value over time.

Some feedback is more immediate. Images of sperm whales and blue whales taken this year, have already be matched to other locations in the Azores, and northern Europe, across more than two decades. Some blue whales have not only been matched but never been recoded so early in previous years. yut many more whales have still yet to be matched, revealing range of their movements and importance of different parts of the oceans. Some individuals have only been recorded for the first time, again contributing to our understanding of population dynamics.

This year’s project still has a lot of data to process, from over 125 cetacean encounters over 15 days at sea, sighting over 1500 individuals. But some species are absent from this year’s research findings (e.g Sei whales) and dolphins have been found in lower numbers. On the upside, a few rarer records were noted such as orca, minke and Sowerby’s beaked whale.

With the expedition fieldwork continuing to commence in March, “it has also been great to extend the data collection beyond the normal tourism season”, says expedition scientist Lisa Steiner, “and collect data on a range of species, across a broader time span. The value of this work is huge as we wouldn’t have documented the range of species, including several sei, humpback, fin and blue whales, since there are fewer tour boats out at this time of year”.

Understanding spatial and temporal patterns of so many cetaceans is key to their long-term protection and conservation. And undertaking field research when others are not often at sea reveals new information such as species being absent or present in lower or higher numbers compared to other years.

“The ability to collect such data is greatly enhanced by the annual contribution of the Biosphere Expeditions citizen scientists”, says expedition leader Craig Turner, “and underlines the value of long-term data sets in illustrating the importance of the Azores for many cetacean species”.

This data-collection approach is being applied to other species of whale, along with dolphin species, such as bottlenose and Risso’s. The scale of the data collection both in terms of time and space serves to demonstrate the importance of the Azores for several cetacean species. And highlights the importance of appropriate conservation management, to ensure these species continue to thrive not just in Azorean waters, but elsewhere in the wider Atlantic Ocean.

Citizen scientist feedback:

The expeditions was very well organised. Craig & Lisa work very well together and you could tell they enjoy what they do. They cope very well when plans change, flights are delayed, weather changes etc . Amazing
Nicola B, Switzerland.

Our first day on the boat (also my birthday) I will never forget. I wished for a blue whale and I think we had six sightings that day (plus seven orcas!). Seeing the blow, seeing it just at the water surface and the beautiful turquoise colour before it dives. It was an experience way beyond what I expected. Accommodation was excellent. We were so lucky to have a view over the seas and Pico beyond. Great positive atmosphere of all the group members
Anne Clarke, UK.

The group dynamic was excellent and the leader really helped to create this. The expectations were handled well and we knew flexibility (weather etc) needed. So no frustrations or disappointments. Meals etc were excellent, science presentations very informative.
Peter S., Canada.

We found everything to be very well organised. A big compliment to our expedition leader Craig – what a wonderful guy – he kept everything going and the spirits up ; and to Lisa, our great scientist from whom we learned a lot. Loved the lectures from the Portuguese scientists who came to explain about their work on cetaceans. Loved to listen to Lisa who shared her unbelievable knowledge with us.
Gitta V., Netherlands.

This was a wonderful experience for me. Lisa & Craig are top notch organisers and kept things flowing. Briefing every day after outings and evenings were perfect. Selections of vegetarian options was excellent for me
Mita P., USA.

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Azores : People, place, project

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

That’s all folks. It is time for final diary entry. The end of the expedition is suddenly upon us, and five weeks seems to have flown by, with the international team now gone. Before I wrap the expedition, let me first recap the last few days:

Our final day at sea presented yet more great sightings. Most notably was another fin whale and not one, but two more humpbacks – one far easier to photograph than the other, but still a favourite amongst many. Add to this, more sperm whales, common and bottlenose dolphins and it was another great data haul. Sea conditions and our continued search for more sightings put us close to Capelinhos – the most recent volcano to erupt in the Azores – at the west end of Faial. This presented an opportunity for another first in 2025 – a circumnavigation of Faial – as the seas were easier to navigate to the north. Our 2025 data collection ended with our final loggerhead turtle.

This ocean-based tour of the island gave the group a better feel of where to visit on their day off – with many heading back to Capelinhos. But on our last day we were thwarted at the final hurdle, in our effort to go to sea, by bad weather, but this presented another opportunity to sort more data. Not how we would wish to end, but you can’t argue with the Atlantic Ocean – just accept that plans may often change. So that concluded our data collection and sorting, on another really successful expedition in the Azores.

This year we’ve again documented an impressive array of records that without Biosphere Expeditions, would not have been collected. Here are just some of our highlights. We have

  • deployed three teams into the field, comprising 8 different nations, spanning multiple decades
  • completed in excess of 84 hours of surveys, covering over 1400 km of the ocean
  • collected data on at least eleven different cetacean species (six whale and five
    dolphin species), one turtle species and numerous birds
  • encountered more than 125 cetaceans,
  • confirmed some positive whale IDs, and several re-sights, but also have
    numerous new flukes – i.e. individuals never recorded before


Data in isolation can be a bit ‘dry’, and lack context, as field research rarely gives us instant results (though fluke matches are coming through) or fast answers to our bigger questions. But we’ve collected another great baseline of data and the full results will become clearer in the expedition report. The power of this simple field data builds over time, as has been illustrated by our excellent invited speakers (thank you, to all).

Whilst we comb the see and learn about the cetaceans and contribute to the ongoing data collection on this project (19 years and counting), it is not always all about the project. What also makes the project so special is the people. So let me initially offer some thanks. First off, to our three groups, who stepped up to the daily challenge of data collection to achieve our goals of better understanding the spatial and temporal distributions of the cetaceans and turtles of the Azores. You’ve not only all contributed to advancing this knowledge and making this expedition a success – you have also been great fun to work with and not given the expedition leader too much stress!

We also thank the wider Biosphere Expeditions team, as this project can’t happen without the unseen preparation, often months before we even set foot on a boat. I also extend thanks to all in Horta who have supported us, particularly Norberto Divers, the lookouts and our various caterers – whose food has more than sustained us! We also extend our thanks to our hosts (Silvia & Mario) and the project base, of course to Lenita (our housekeeper) who ensured we were more than comfortable. I (like many) can also not forget our skippers (‘Pico’ Pedro & Pedro 2), who not only took us to sea, but ensured the team knew the sea state, wind direction, cetacean locations and always got us back to port safely – thank you gentlemen. Finally, our collective thanks go to Lisa. A constant force for knowledge and our leader in all things scientific. It is always a privilege to share in your world of cetacean fieldwork.

We have also had the great privilege of briefly experiencing life in Azores. As I mentioned in my very first diary entry (if you remember!), who doesn’t want to live on a volcano, in the middle of an ocean, searching for a diverse array of charismatic cetaceans. The allure of this fascinating archipelago is strong, and I don’t doubt that some of us will return, in the not too distant future – there are many reasons to come back.

For me personally it has been great to have the opportunity to return to the Azores, work on the project, in this wonderful place and meet old and make new friends. It has been a blast, but all good things come to end and now I too must make my way home. Time to head to my place in Scotland, catch up with my own family and see what projects we take on next.

Thank you.

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Azores : New direction

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

The early part of the week brought a change in the winds, and a change of direction for our surveys. We initially headed north to follow up a report of a humpback whale in the area. This was our first time north of Faial this year, and heading into a north-westerly wind and building waves made the search harder than we wanted, but the humpback was finally located – a favourite species for many.

Staying with it brought more challenges, and having briefly lost it, the team spotted what we initially thought were the characteristic white pectoral fins in the waves, but this turned out to be a random sighting of Risso’s dolphins – doing their best to distract us. They achieved this briefly before the humpback was re-found and ID photos secured.

Subsequent surveys and sightings brought more dolphins in the form of common and bottlenose, the latter being less frequently sighted, but have now been located by all three expedition groups. So more dorsal fin ID images to process and catalogue.

We also spent a day south of Pico (very familiar territory) tracking sperm whales. It is still surprisingly easy to lose these magnificent beasts, as they can dive for 45 minutes. This gave us an excuse to deploy our hydrophone – a sophisticated underwater microphone – so we can listen in on the underwater world, and hopefully locate sperm whales and other species. It wasn’t as effective as we hoped, but our lookouts were able to locate more whales – with ‘eyes all around’.

Using the hydrophone kit was timely, as we welcomed Sarah Kather for dinner. She studied sperm whale vocalisations for her Master’s Thesis (at the University of the Azores) and gave a fascinating insight into the importance of sound-based communication (and noise pollution) for various cetacean species.

Amongst all this, Lisa also managed to match some of the sperm whale flukes documented from our earlier sightings, showing three individual females had been repeatedly recorded up to ten times over a sixteen year period. This further highlights the importance of the Azores to this species.

Fingers crossed for our final days on the 2025 expedition.

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Azores : Azure expeditions

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

We have commenced the third and final part of the 2025 Azores expedition. It is great to have another diverse and enthusiastic group. With the welcomes, greetings, briefings and training sessions out of the way, we were all keen to get out to sea. Again, the weather made us wait a day, but used the day with more training and science presentations.

Our first day at sea was a triumph. Starting almost where we had left off – with a blue whale. That means blue whales have been seen on all but one day at sea this year – which is incredible. Next were a large group of sperm whales, who again were not the most cooperative, with very few fluking – so limited ID data, but a great job by the team for keeping up with all the sperm whale sightings. Add in some common dolphins, a loggerhead turtle, and this was a great start.

But our day was not done, it ended almost as it began, with another blue whale sighting, but this turned out to be a pair of blue whales – a first for this year. I am beginning to think we should rebrand to the Azure Expedition!

Our second sea day was less frenetic, but had a common theme – blue whales. We also recorded a large male sperm whale and common dolphins as we travelled along the south of Pico, using the volcano as a shield from the prevailing winds and thus take advantage of the calm-ish waters.

It has been a good start to the last leg, and here’s hoping our luck continues.

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