Scientific Services

From following SANParks on LinkedIn to adding it to my LinkedIn experience, this has been a journey I could only dream of. I was always captivated by the content they posted and envied the people who worked there. Everything about the organisation aligned with what I wanted for my career. So, when I received that email offering me an internship, I was over the moon. I knew that things were finally working out for my good. And I was not wrong; things worked out in ways I couldn’t have imagined. But before I get to the heart of the experience, let me start with my first impression of the Garden Route, a place like no other. I have never in my life seen such a beautiful place, quiet but stunning. Especially the Wilderness and Tsitsikamama regions.

There was one thing that stood out to me, though: the abundance of seahorse sculptures and artistic designs, especially in areas like Sedgefield and Knysna. At first, I jokingly thought there might be a seahorse cult in the area because everywhere I turned, there it was, seahorse, seahorse, seahorse. I later realised this was not some strange obsession. The community takes immense pride in being the only region in South Africa blessed with the only known estuarine seahorse in the world. Their commitment to conserving and protecting these endangered species was inspiring. Coming from a different province, this was a new experience for me. It was refreshing to see how the community works hand in hand with SANParks, reporting stranded seahorses on social media, assisting through citizen science and volunteering during high-risk periods like the mouth breaching.

You know how they say, “Never meet your role models because you’ll be disappointed”? Well, in my case, the opposite happened. Working for SANParks, an organisation I had admired since my undergraduate studies, was everything I had hoped for and more. The working environment was amazing. My colleagues not only helped me grow professionally but also contributed to my personal growth. They taught me the importance of kindness. As an intern, life in Sedgefield wasn’t easy, transportation and accommodation were real challenges. But my colleagues went above and beyond, helping us interns to find a place to stay and providing daily transport to and from work for the past 19 months. They even helped with personal errands when needed. This might sound biased since it was my first official internship after university, but I’ve never met such incredible colleagues. They set the bar so high for my future teammates. I aspire to show the same kindness and support to my future colleagues that they showed to me.

Professionally, this experience has been invaluable. I’ve acquired skills in data capturing, image analysis of intertidal rocky shores, monitoring fish, macrofauna, and seahorses, as well as environmental education. These are all aligned with my ultimate goal of becoming a marine scientist. And, as they say, no one can take that knowledge and experience away from me. To all the SANParks scientific services staff in the Garden Route NP, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity and the values you’ve instilled in me. You’ve made an unforgettable impact on my life, and I will carry these lessons forward as I continue to grow.