Vet at the end of the Earth - Adventures with animals in the South Atlantic

Islands. Life on the edge of existence, walled in by the ocean, crucibles of

humankind where nature still holds the reins. I’m fascinated by them and had the

privilege to work as a vet for many years on four of the British South Atlantic Islands:

the Falklands, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha and St Helena. Richly diverse, far-flung

remnants of Empire.

Each has its own utterly unique story to tell, moulded by history, topography, peoples

and climate. The Falklands: a grand archipelago down in the chilly waters near the

Antarctic convergence, with rich fisheries, abundant wildlife, and more sheep than

the eye can muster. Ascension: an equatorial military base once nicknamed ‘The

Cinder’ because of its brutish volcanic landscapes, home to colourful land crabs, and

nesting sea turtles, but with a lush central peak, the first example of terraforming.

Tristan: the remotest island settlement in the world, a crofting-type community of

some 250 hardy souls perched on the brim of a recently active volcano, their

livelihoods dependent on harvesting the abundant crayfish that swarm in the kelp

forests. And tropical St Helena: the former darling of the East India Company, once

the most impregnably fortified place in the world and crammed with built heritage,

dramatic scenery and endemic species. Not to forget the oldest known living land

animal in the world, Jono the Giant Tortoise, who is approaching his third century.

My talk will be a colourful picture fest of land and sea to convey these stories, laced

with anecdotes about my great love, the animals. To me, they represent the best of

us: innocent and honest, they never lie, they never deceive.

I aim to entertain and uplift, to whizz you through these remote communities and

provide the ultimate in armchair travelling so… fit that safety harness and buckle up!