Juan Pedro Valbuena Fernandez, PhD candidate at Monash University

Little did we know as kids in the 90s about the challenges that our own species’ industrialisation success will bring into our lives. Climate change was a recently uncovered process, silenced by the primary producers of greenhouse gases. Consequently, very few grew up with an understanding of how the global ecosystems we depend on were tumbling.

However, love for nature and wildlife have embedded in some souls among our generation. Thus, growing up valuing biodiversity and ecosystems and appreciating nature has been a foundation for a decision to target one of the biggest threats to my surroundings, climate change. No need to say that climate change not only threatens some nature-sensitised people’s values but noticeably challenges human existence.

We have never faced a situation like this one since we, humans, first appeared on this planet. We better do something, right?

What can we do? This is a broad question that potentially has many answers with different layers of complexity. The critical need to evaluate climate change impacts and the lack of information about many organisms and ecosystems has drawn my attention and is an open niche for current ecologists.

I love reptiles, forests and adventures. Explorations are thus a realisation of my passions that serve conservation and climate change impact assessment purposes. What an excellent excuse to have fun! Nonetheless, when planning an expedition to poorly understood ecosystems, under-surveyed reptile areas here in Australia is not all “fun”; you must be well prepared beforehand. What, Where, When and How are we researching, and Whom we are researching with are fundamental questions that help me be ready to immerse in nature and research the targeted reptiles with no mishaps.

Learn about the places you will be researching and what animals, plants, soils, rocks, and climates are there. Do you need to get into caves, climb mountains or trees, walk for long times, kayak or drive a four-wheel drive to reach the study area/species? Do you need to photograph/record the study species, or do you need to capture it? How are you catching the species if so? Are they dangerous species? What are the ethical implications of your research and practices? Do you need federal, state, local government or national park permits? Well, we are getting close to answering the primary question to do research, and now we need to get ready.

Nothing is more satisfying than developing the skills and gathering the gear you need for the research. Getting the skills is much more fun when you work with reptiles. It would be best to learn how to catch and handle them safely, for their good and yours. We are in Australia, and coming across venomous snakes here is not rare, especially when you want to find them. In different training and courses, we learned to be careful with the animals to cause no damage.

Similarly, we learned about first aid procedures to prepare for unexpected events like traumas, temperature problems, or venomous animal bites. Climbing and caving skills have allowed me to reach different isolated environments. Retreating from caves after abseiling through thin cracks and dragging through small tight passages certainly requires technique and training, without to mention the psychological challenges. Get also trained in using satellite phones, GPS, walkie-talkies, sampling techniques and excellent tools like snake hooks, trap cameras, photography gear or loupes to help with identifications, for example. Being a multitasker is the key!

When I go out to the field, I like to prepare a booklet with environmental information about the area, a list of targeted and ecologically remarkable species with a key to identification, emergency contact and procedures to follow in emergencies, maps of the site, etc. Pack up all the gear (research and personal care) and head to the field; soon, you will be there doing everything you have dreamed about.

For my research, it was common to set up a basecamp, and every day from there, to drive 4-wheel drive cars on unpaved roads to the closest accessible road point, then walk to the study area, and in some cases still, climb rock outcrops up to the summits and down into the caves. Some people use helicopters or boats instead of 4-wheel drives when the site is remote; I haven’t had the pleasure yet! But it is vital that you think ahead about what your basecamp will need based on the site’s remoteness (basics: water, food, shelter and generally electricity access for charging batteries).

After all the preparation, you are in the field, and your preparation will be forced into practice. You look for reptiles, slowly moving and paying extra care to the sites that match the description of your target species’ habitats. It is so relaxing to put into practice everything you have learned. There you are, feeling your surroundings and surveying when a chill goes through your body, and you realise that you are breathing nature through every pore of your body while looking at reptiles.