A VN has realised a lifelong ambition after getting the chance to work with turtles in Cyprus.

Kylie Channon-Durant took a two month sabbatical from her role as head veterinary nurse at Kingfisher Veterinary Practice in Somerset to volunteer with the Society for the Protection of Turtles.

Adventure

Mrs Channon-Durant already had a City and Guilds qualification in exotics under her belt when she saw an advert calling for volunteers, and immediately applied.

The once-in-a-lifetime adventure meant the VN got involved in all aspects of turtle conservation; from patrolling the beaches for turtle tracks and monitoring nest sites, to observing turtle behaviour and fitting females with trackers – activities intended to inform understanding of their breeding behaviour.

Plastic pollution

Mrs Channon-Durant said: “I had an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience at the turtle conservation programme with an amazing group of people.

“It really opened my eyes to the problem of plastic pollution and fishing and its effect on marine life. If you can afford the time and money, I highly recommend veterinary ventures abroad. There’s so many options to suit every budget and interest.”