Blandine Thommerel
I am Blandine Thommerel, 24, and I am French. Passionate with nature and animals, I try to be a great conservationist, every day. After an intensive and hard two-year course to prepare for competitive entry into French engineering and veterinary schools, I enrolled at an engineering school of agronomy in France. Since I knew I wanted to work on species conservation, I made everything I could to learn as much as possible for that. Recently graduated, all my academic journey reflects my wish to work for environment conservation.
My various travel around Europe makes me discover the beauty of the world and comfort myself in my career choices. My Erasmus semester in Slovenia, and then my intern at the association ARCHELON in Greece, where I dedicated myself to sea turtle conservation, both help me a lot to discover the importance of protecting the environment and some way to do it.
Determined and always motivated, all my experiences during my study played an important role in my personal and professional development. My last internship in a research centre in Scotland, the Scottish Centre for Ecology and Natural Environment, makes me discover the work of research for species conservation.
My dedication to conservation is driven by my desire to protect the environment for future generations. I want to actively contribute to environmental preservation, and I believe in the power of collective action and idea exchange as a Darwin Leader, offering hope and a vision for a sustainable future.
| LOCATION: | Punta del Este | AREA OF STUDY: | Sea turtles |
| NATIONALITY: | France | SPONSOR: | Karumbe |
| FILMMAKER: | Jean-Peïc Chou |
| START DATE: | 26th November |
| END DATE: | 12th December |
| LOCATION: | Punta del Este |
| END POINT: | France |
| AREA OF STUDY: | Sea turtles |
| SPONSOR: | Karumbe |
| FILMMAKER: | Jean-Peïc Chou |
Area of Study: Sea Turtles
This 3-episode documentary explores the state of conservation of sea turtles in Uruguay. The conservation of sea turtles in Uruguay has been led by Karumbé, a non-governmental organization founded in 1999 by a group of passionate biologists. Before Karumbé, few people in Uruguay knew sea turtles inhabited their waters. Over the past 25 years, the organization has worked tirelessly to change that through scientific research, rehabilitation, and education. One of the biggest threats to sea turtles in Uruguay is bycatch—when turtles are accidentally caught in fishing nets, leading to asphyxiation. Karumbé collaborates with fishers, local communities, and volunteers to mitigate these dangers and promote conservation. Despite limited funding, Karumbé has established visitor centres, educational programs, and research initiatives. Their efforts have raised awareness and fostered a cultural shift—where once fishers consumed turtles, they now seek to protect them. The organization also collaborates internationally, contributing to the South-West Atlantic Network for Marine Turtle Conservation. Looking ahead, Karumbé aims to expand its impact through initiatives like an online “Sea Turtle University” to educate people worldwide. Conservation is an ongoing challenge, but through collaboration and education, Karumbé continues to inspire new generations to protect sea turtles and marine biodiversity.
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