Let me introduce myself

Hello! We’re *finally* getting to meet. I’m Sophie, the new Field Station Coordinator here at Little Fireface Project. Now that the wonderful Michela has (very sadly) headed home, it’s my job to step into the incredibly large shoes she’s left for me. However, from the moment I walked into the Green House (Rumah Hijau – LFP headquarters), I felt immediately reassured; this may well be a challenge, but it’s without a doubt going to be a fun one.

The view of Mount Cikuray from the top of Cipaganti

So, a little bit of background. I’m a conservation connoisseur, wildlife wiz, biology buff; however you want to put it, I’m mad about animals. Specifically, the way they inhabit their environment and how we can use their behaviour to better inform their conservation. If we’re using that as my criteria for a perfect research project, LFP ticks every box. I love fieldwork, and have a particular soft spot for behavioural observations. Having spent nine months in the middle of the South African bush following around groups of dwarf mongooses for hours on end, I almost feel at home here with the lorises. Whilst working as the Project Manager of the Limpopo Dwarf Mongoose Research Project, I realised that this line of work had Sophie written all over it.

Blyde River Canyon, South Africa, where I was lucky enough to be chasing after mongooses

Fast forward one year and LFP, a research project I have been following for years, were advertising a similar position; I quite literally jumped at the chance. If the opportunity to do some amazing field research that contributes enormously to the protection of endangered animals and habitats wasn’t enough, my role here also involves working closely with some pretty amazing people. Local farmers, talented volunteers, skilled trackers, international researchers, the list goes on. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say I’ve landed my dream job.

Getting shown round the coffee farms by Pak Jan Jan

In essence, my role here is very simple; ensure the smooth running of the project and its various branches. Not so simple when you plant yourself on the side of a dormant volcano in the middle of Java at the start of the rainy season. But what’s a bit of drizzle, eh?

First rainy day of the season from up with the lorises

As we speak, I am sitting in Rumah Hijau reflecting on my first week here at Little Fireface Project. It genuinely feels like I’ve been here a lifetime. Getting properly stuck in with the coffee programme, spying my first lovely lorises and slowly (but surely) learning some Bahasa Indonesian, it has been quite the introduction to life in Cipaganti. You’ll be hearing plenty more from me over the next year, whether it be in the form of a vlog, an article, or maybe even a (slightly lacking) meme, so strap in as I’m in for the long haul!