Marine Biology Personal Statement

The fact that 95% of our sea is unexplored has always fascinated me. We use water in everyday life and without it there would be no life on Earth, yet we know so little about it. Both my academic and personal life has developed my interest in marine biology.
My interest in wildlife and outdoor work drove me to successfully apply for the post of volunteer assistant at Washington Wetlands centre, I started in January 2013 and attend at least once a week. Hand rearing Chilean flamingos involved syringe feeding flamingo chicks, walking them around the centre and various health checks. This project helped me develop my team working skills, amongst a group sharing out the roles and responsibilities. This led us to a successful rearing of 24 flamingos. On a weekly basis I present talks on wetland conservation issues and inhabitants (sometimes to 150 visitors), specialising in the life and habitats of otters and flamingos developing my presentation skills and confidence. Also, I have had responsibility for preparing the daily feed, regular health checks and helped install and maintain various hides for the local wildfowl. My work at the wetlands has provided me with invaluable insight of the delicate balance of how humans and animals interact with each other.
I have developed a good practical understanding of tide patterns, waves, effects of the shoreline and marine life. This job also gave me fantastic life skills as I gained “Casualty Care for lifeguard’s” qualification which has given me an in-depth knowledge of the danger and safety steps that must be taken whilst being in and around the sea and also invaluable first aid knowledge. It has heightened my communication skills by dealing with members of the public and tackling various problems. My overall experience as a beach lifeguard has made me more determined to follow my dream to study and work in marine