Glen Baker and his project colleagues had to do all their field work between dusk and dawn - the time the turtles come out of the sea to lay eggs - and then catch up on much needed sleep under canvas in the heat of the day. Meanwhile, participants working on the ecology of fresh water turtles in Western Australia must "provide their own snorkelling equipment" and "be comfortable in and around the water".

Such challenges enrich the whole experience, according to Michael Tutt. "For me it was a reminder that everyone has different skills to bring to a team situation, and that's something that has relevance for me back in the workplace. We all found our places. Our group included a call centre manager from Malaysia who'd never had to cook or clean - but he soon got to grips with it all - and a 73 year old lady who not only pulled her weight with all the physical work but was a great asset on the cooking front too."

Many of the fellowship projects on offer in 2004, as in previous years, draw in involvement from local communities. On the Pantanal study, for example, the team will work alongside community members and local government agencies who have an interest in the long term health of their natural environment. For Michael Tutt, working with and sometimes camping alongside the Anangu people of the desert was a highlight of his fellowship.

"I had not expected that we would have so much interaction with the Aboriginal people," he says. "We were guests on their land and they went out of their way to share their knowledge, patiently explaining all that they knew about their unique environment. They accompanied us on many of the walks looking for tracks and scats. The children were especially keen to join us."

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