Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Today we profile Chloe Corne, Conservation Services Ranger, Fiordland

Restraining a feisty fur seal pup on Breaksea Island

At work

Some things I do in my job include monitoring the populations of Fiordland bottlenose dolphins in Dusky and Doubtful Sounds in conjunction with Otago University.

These dolphins are unique, as they are the southernmost population of this species of dolphin, and have several unique morphological, behavioural and acoustic characteristics. They are also suffering from a number of potential threats.

Dolphins in Doubtful Sound

Part of my job is to monitor compliance with the Code of Management that was put into place in Doubtful Sound complex to regulate interactions with marine mammals.

I will also participate in biodiversity monitoring in the Fiordland Marine Area, Undaria (Japanese kelp) eradication in Breaksea Sound, and freshwater monitoring and advocacy.

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by working to catalogue and monitor the biodiversity and biosecurity of Fiordland Marine Area, so that appropriate sustainable management strategies can be applied.

The best bit about my job is the enormous potential for growing marine conservation. So much is still unknown about our oceans and the biodiversity that inhabits it.

My job already has an amazing amount of variety and I’ve only been here for a few weeks! I’m very excited to see what the future holds.

Young fur seal, Fiordland

The most exciting DOC moment I’ve had so far is assisting a PhD thesis with collecting DNA samples from the southern fur seal population in order to assess the recolonisation pattern and gene flow of fur seal populations after the sealing era.

Not only has this not been attempted for the Fiordland rookeries thus far, the rookery we collected samples from was the pest-free Breaksea Island.

It felt like saddleback and robins were everywhere along the shoreline as we collected our tiny skin samples from the feisty fur seal pups, which were a lot harder to restrain than you would think!

The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is Don Merton. While I never had the privilege to meet or work with him, Don’s achievements will be inspiring budding conservationists for years to come.

Don Merton holding kakapo “Richard Henry”

On a personal note…

If I could trade places with any other person for a week—famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional—it would be David Attenborough. Ideally he would be my grandfather.

My best ever holiday was in Mozambique. I could barely speak a word of Portuguese, and spent equal amounts of time avoiding dodgy looking characters and corrupt policemen alike.

Driving and navigation was an adventure with half the roads being 4WD tracks.

Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique

About halfway up the coastline is an oasis called the Bazaruto Archipelago, with islands made of huge sand dunes, the east African coast’s last viable population of dugongs and some of the most pristine coral I have ever seen. Bliss.

My secret indulgence is travel, travel and more travel. Although this isn’t much of a secret.

Left: Releasing a rehabilitated Hawksbill turtle, Watamu, Kenya
Right: Exploring the crooked alleyways of Lamu

If I wasn’t working at DOC, I’d like to be a National Geographic wildlife photographer. It’s nice to dream.

Before working at DOC I lived and worked for a year and a half on Wasini Island, off the tropical coast of Kenya.

As a staff member for Global Vision International I spent my days monitoring cetaceans and sea turtles in a 300 kilometre squared study area, and snorkelling to gather in-water sea turtle habitat use data, and for coral and reef fish monitoring.

I originally went to Kenya for the dolphins, but ended up staying for the whales.

Photographing humpback whales off Mpunguti Marine Reserve, Kenya

Deep and meaningful…

My favourite quote is I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do. – Leonardo da Vinci.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is to seize every opportunity that comes, as there is no guarantee that you will ever get that opportunity again.

In work and life I am motivated by others that have a really deep passion for something, and can communicate a bit of that passion to others.

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is there are so many amazing, fun opportunities out there to get involved in conservation projects. Have a look at some of them and I promise you will be inspired.

Question of the week

Who would you like to play you in a film about your life?

Charlize Theron – but it would be the most boring film ever!