In this issue of NEU Bulletin, we are pleased to feature Prof. Dr. Wayne John Fuller, a wildlife researcher and conservation scientist whose academic journey has been shaped by a lifelong fascination with nature and a commitment to understanding and protecting biodiversity. His research spans wildlife ecology and conservation, with particular emphasis on Mediterranean marine turtles, birds, endangered species, habitat conservation, and the application of modern research techniques to ecological questions. Through years of fieldwork, he has combined scientific research with practical conservation, contributing to a better understanding of how species interact with their environments and how research can inform effective conservation strategies. In this interview, Prof. Dr. Fuller reflects on the experiences that led him from an early interest in wildlife to a career in research, his work with marine turtles and other threatened species, the growing challenges facing biodiversity, and the role of universities and young researchers in shaping the future of conservation. Your academic journey has led you to explore wildlife ecology and conservation, with a particular focus on marine turtles and biodiversity. What initially inspired your interest in wildlife research, and how have your scientific interests evolved throughout your career? From my earliest days as a child, I had an interest in animals. One of my earliest memories is at the age of 7 or 8, continually being told off by the teacher for watching the birds in the trees outside the classroom window. It must have been a problem because my teacher raised the issue with my parents at parents' evening. Also, I would write notes about different bird species I had seen and seeing my interest in birds my father and uncle would take me out after work or at the weekends to the countryside to look for birds’ nests. Another key moment was watching the BBC David Attenborough documentary ‘Life on Earth’, which was a ground-breaking documentary in wildlife filming and explained nature's evolutionary and ecological relationships. On leaving school at 17 years old, I did not think it was possible to make a career in natural history or ecology, so I started a career in the Civil Service. However, after 15 years, I was disenchanted with this career and began to take ‘A’ levels at night school. On the completion of this I applied to read Zoology at the University of Wales, Swansea. This is where I began to crystallise my ideas into a future life studying wildlife and conducting field research for my undergraduate thesis. Following 2 years as a volunteer on the Marine Turtle Conservation Project in Northern Cyprus, I was offered a position as the project leader and in conjunction with that study for a PhD at Exeter University’s newly established Centre for Ecology and Conservation. This period was transformative: I moved from someone who just admired and wondered about nature to someone who started to question why and how animals performed certain behaviours. During this time was trained in the use of and given the responsibility for attaching animal-borne devices (satellite transmitters, cameras, etc) to unlock the hidden world of sea turtles. Additionally, I was made aware how important powerful modern tools such as population genetics and stable isotope analysis can be combined with more traditional methods like mark and recapture techniques and lead to ground-breaking research. All this proved to be that with dedication, technical advances and a multi-disciplinary approach many mysteries of nature can start to be unlocked. Over the years my research has led me down many different wildlife avenues, each providing different challenges and solutions, however ultimately, they rarely exist in isolation. You have dedicated many years to studying and protecting sea turtles in the Mediterranean. Looking back, which discovery or research finding has been particularly meaningful to you, and how has it contributed to our understanding of these remarkable animals? One of the most meaningful strands of my work has been understanding how sea turtles use their habitats and how resilient—or vulnerable—they are to environmental change. For example, research on fidelity and over wintering behaviour in sea turtles showed that individuals can exhibit strong site fidelity to foraging and wintering areas, which has major implications for how localised threats (such as coastal development, fisheries interactions or pollution) can affect specific sub populations. I am also proud of studies using satellite telemetry, time depth recorders, and animal borne cameras to reveal how turtles behave during critical life stages, such as the inter nesting period. Showing, for instance, that inter nesting females spend much of their time in shallow coastal waters, and identifying probable foraging and resting behaviours, has helped refine spatial management—where to place marine protected areas, how to regulate boat traffic, and when to limit certain activities. Collectively, these findings have contributed to a more nuanced understanding of sea turtles as dynamic, wide ranging animals whose survival depends on a mosaic of habitats and on our ability to manage threats across that mosaic. Climate change, plastic pollution, and human activities pose growing threats to marine life. Based on your research, what are the most pressing challenges facing sea turtles today, and what can individuals and communities do to help protect them? Sea turtles today face a suite of overlapping pressures: Individuals and communities are not powerless in the face of these challenges. There are several concrete actions: Protecting sea turtles is ultimately about changing how we live on coasts and use the oceans—small, cumulative actions at community level matter. Your work extends beyond scientific publications to practical conservation efforts in Cyprus. How have your research findings contributed to protecting wildlife and natural habitats, and what role should universities play in addressing environmental challenges? In my work I have tried to find practical solutions to issues raised from my scientific findings, bridging the gaps between scientific research and hands-on conservation. Long term monitoring of nesting beaches, tagging programmes, and habitat use studies have fed directly into practical measures such as: One of my recent research projects has looked at the issues facing a critically endangered endemic plant. Early findings from this research led to the implementation of some in situ protection measures which over the past couple of years have seen a 19-fold increase in its population. This research has led to me being asked to work with the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red listing authority to reassess the current red listing status of this plant. Universities have a crucial role in addressing environmental challenges: For me, the most satisfying moments are when a piece of research moves off the page and into policy or practice—when a map becomes a protected area, or research data becomes the basis for changing management practices. Beyond marine turtles, your research covers birds, endangered plants, and wildlife rehabilitation. What makes Cyprus particularly important from a biodiversity perspective, and what can we do to better preserve its unique natural heritage? Cyprus is a biodiversity crossroads. Its position in the eastern Mediterranean, varied topography, and mix of climatic influences create a rich mosaic of habitats: coastal dunes and beaches, maquis and garrigue, wetlands, mountain forests, and agricultural landscapes. This diversity supports important sea turtle rookeries, key migratory routes for birds and a rich endemic flora. Cyprus is also a place where human history and biodiversity are tightly interwoven. Traditional land uses, such as low intensity agriculture and grazing, have shaped habitats that are now important for wildlife. Rapid changes—urbanisation, infrastructure development, and intensification of agriculture—risk eroding both natural and cultural heritage. In order to better preserve it we need to strengthen protected area networks and management, through improvements in monitoring and enforcement. After so many years of fieldwork, is there a particular encounter with wildlife or a memorable experience in nature that has stayed with you? How has working so closely with nature influenced your perspective on conservation? After many years of fieldwork, certain moments stay with you, one particular part of my sea turtle work was releasing hatchlings onto the beach and watching them make their first frantic dash to the sea, determined, and vulnerable, and on reaching the sea, watching them battle with the waves and after beating the waves, seeing them periodically surfacing to breathe. There have been more dramatic encounters too: handling a large, injured turtle that we were able to rehabilitate and later see it return to the ocean fully recovered. Working so closely with nature has influenced my perspective on conservation with one key aspect being the importance of time; generally, conservation is not a quick process, it usually requires a long term commitment. Many of the most meaningful results come from patient, repeated observations over years or decades. These experiences have made me see conservation not just as a scientific endeavour, but as a moral one. Looking ahead, what research questions or conservation challenges are you most eager to explore? What advice would you give to young researchers and students who wish to pursue a career in wildlife science and conservation? Looking ahead, a couple of research and conservation questions interest me: For young researchers and students who wish to pursue a career in wildlife science and conservation, my advice would be: Wildlife science and conservation can be demanding, but it is also profoundly rewarding. You are contributing, in a tangible way, to the possibility that future generations will still be able to experience. About the Researcher Prof. Dr. Wayne John Fuller began his university education as a mature student following a career in the UK Civil Service. After graduating with a BSc in Zoology, he worked at the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford and contributed to the UK Government’s response to the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in Devon. His doctoral research was conducted in North Cyprus and at the University of Exeter’s Centre for Ecology and Conservation, where his work increasingly focused on wildlife ecology, field research, and marine turtle conservation. After serving as a lecturer at the European University of Lefke from 2008, he joined the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Near East University in 2013, where he continued his academic career and was awarded the title of Associate Professor in 2016. Prof. Dr. Fuller currently serves as Head of the Department of Genetics at Near East University’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. His research focuses primarily on the ecology and conservation of Mediterranean marine turtles, alongside broader interests in ornithology, avian conservation, endangered species, terrestrial habitats, and biodiversity conservation. He has participated in and led numerous national and international research and conservation projects. His work combines traditional field-based approaches with techniques including satellite telemetry, animal-borne cameras, population genetics, and stable isotope analysis. He has also contributed to international conservation initiatives and has served as a member of the IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group since 2017.From Curiosity to Conservation: Prof. Dr. Wayne J. Fuller on Wildlife, Research, and Protecting Nature
“With dedication, technical advances and a multi-disciplinary approach, many mysteries of nature can start to be unlocked.”
“Sea turtles are dynamic, wide-ranging animals whose survival depends on a mosaic of habitats.”
“Protecting sea turtles is ultimately about changing how we live on coasts and use the oceans—small, cumulative actions at community level matter.”
“The most satisfying moments are when a piece of research moves off the page and into policy or practice.”
“These experiences have made me see conservation not just as a scientific endeavour, but as a moral one.”
“Be patient and persistent. Persistence is as important as brilliance.”
Prof. Dr. Wayne J. Fuller