Bioko sits 20 miles off the west coast of Cameroon as a part of Equatorial Guinea, a country south on the mainland. The southern half of the island is protected by the government as a scientific reserve and is home to 11 primate species, eight of which are endemic subspecies to the island, and most are listed as endangered or threatened. It is home to the Bioko Drill, one of the world’s least known and studied species of primates. Drills are severely threatened by habitat loss and the illegal bushmeat trade. The black sand beaches surrounding the dense jungle are one of the most abundant nesting ground for four species of sea turtles, all of which are at risk of extinction.
I lived and worked on the island through the Bioko Marine Turtle Program as a research assistant and photographer focusing on two separate research projects; the impact of climate change on the nest site selection of leatherback sea turtles and the effects of poaching on the population of the Bioko Drill. Images have been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Oceanographic and Nature.
