Sri Lanka 2017, The Beginning!

We are the 2017 Sri Lanka research expedition from Glasgow University, travelling out to Sri Lanka for 6-7 weeks of marine biology research. Our team is composed of eight of the most adventurous, intelligent, good-looking and modest students in the University of Glasgow Exploration Society. This will be Sri Lanka’s debut onto the Glasgow ExSoc scene. It’s an exciting land full of wonderful people and beautiful wildlife and geography that we can’t wait to get stuck in and study!

We are focusing our efforts looking at the coral reefs around the Trincomalee area, based out of Trincomalee’s Poseidon dive school, a reputable organisation operating in Sri Lanka since 1973. Alongside coral we’ll be looking at fish, zooplankton and phytoplankton abundance and distribution and may potentially do a side project on Crown of Thorns abundance.

Around the areas we are working there are also regular sighting of Spinner Dolphins and Blue Whales, incredibly majestic and fascinating marine mammals. Together with the dive team and each other we will work on the project to the highest level of professionalism that we can muster.

Due to the recent news regarding the decline of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef we are even more passionate about looking after the incredible natural resources Sri Lanka has. It is vital that we understand the reefs so that we can work to protect them for the future against both human and natural influences.