Join Elaine Goh, a young aspiring marine conservationist, as she shares her insights into what it takes to work on the island. 

“Interest knows no limits” is what I would say now as I look back to when my passion for wildlife began. Growing up, I spent most of my time watching nature documentaries with my father—you could say it was a way to bond and feel closer to him, but unknowingly, it planted a seed of interest for the natural world for me. Born and raised in Melaka, I did not have the best access to wildlife and so I dreamt of trips to places where wildlife was bountiful, like Zimbabwe, the Amazon, and even to Borneo. 

Coral restoration dives became an everyday adventure. Photo by Elaine Goh. 

“In my years of watching experts like David Attenborough and Sylvia Earle protect and conserve Earth’s biodiversity, I never thought that I would one day play my small part in conservation.” 

• Elaine Goh 

Fast forward a few years, I graduated with honours in Marine Science from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). The four years of learning had made me a fan of conservation. It made me want to jump in at any moment to do my part for conservation. Applying to most of the local organisations I knew, I was hopeful yet nervous to make that jump.

Newly employed as an assistant manager at PULIHARA (Marine Conservation and Research Organisation Malaysia, formerly known as Lang Tengah Turtle Watch), I spend most of my days doing coral restoration dives and my nights patrolling the nesting beaches for the critically endangered hawksbill and endangered green sea turtles. I also welcome and onboard new interns and volunteers to the island.

Giving a sea turtle ecology talk to students from Monash University during their trip to PULIHARA.
Photo by Elaine Goh. 

“It’s not as easy as you may think. We run on a tight budget where funds and resources are limited, especially since we are on an island. We practically have to depend on each other.” 

• Elaine Goh 

Facing the Challenge of Conservation

Entering the conservation industry has not always been easy despite my interest and passion for it. During my four-month industrial training with PULIHARA in 2023, I knew I enjoyed the work, but I became aware of the hardships behind the scenes to sustain our efforts (work that is not always shown on social media).

Initially, I felt that I might not be a good fit for a permanent role in conservation and started job hunting for other opportunities after my training.

However, after many months of searching, I found myself back where I started with PULIHARA. Despite only having basic amenities to fulfil our day-to-day needs, I felt called back to the island. If I am honest, I felt overwhelmed being back on the island after having been away. But with time and the wonderful companionship of people there, my passion and eagerness to learn came flooding back. 

“Working in conservation isn’t always as glamorous as people think. Despite the often difficult workloads, the reality is that conservationists I know will gladly stay and put their best foot forward.” 

• Elaine Goh 

Demonstration for egg relocation for students from Monash University, Malaysia. Photo by Elaine Goh. 

Creating Lasting Memories 

Despite the challenges and the occasional physical burnout, working with PULIHARA has been a thrilling experience with many ups and downs. I still remember during my internship, we were told it would be a rather low season—fewer turtles would come up to nest. People usually assume we would not have much to do, but our team patrolled night after night until the break of dawn. 

When we eventually had our first two green sea turtle landings, excitement filled my bones as I eagerly watched. The fatigue from the lack of sleep melted away as we observed them.

My first time seeing a turtle nest on the beach! Excitement filled my bones as I was tempted to get a closer look.
Photo by Elaine Goh. 

Handling your first nesting sea turtle is an experience one rarely forgets, and I am always grateful to have been guided by passionate managers who taught me the ropes. Out of the three project sites, our Lang Tengah Island project site is the only one that houses volunteers on a week-by-week basis. As such, we always welcome volunteers from diverse backgrounds, regardless of gender, age or educational background. I believe that this contributes to sustainable tourism as PULIHARA offers both tourists and locals a cultural exchange experience that enhances our understanding of global citizenship.

The volunteering programme provided by PULIHARA serves not only as a getaway for participants but also as a hub for learning new skills and making new friends with like-minded individuals.

Welcoming volunteers from Heriot-Watt University, UK and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) for their excursion.
Photo by Elaine Goh. 

A Message to Aspiring Conservationists 

Take it from me as a young marine conservationist; my advice to the current generation who are interested in this line of work is that your passion and interest for conservation has to be stronger than anything else. 

Regardless of what you choose, enjoy and love what you do. Working in conservation has not and will not always be sunshine and rainbows, but remember that the work you are doing is work that matters. 

Learn how you can volunteer with PULIHARA di sini.

Writer: Elaine Goh Yi Yin (PULIHARA) 
Edited by: Rebecca Anne Chin (The Habitat Foundation)