Pippin interned for Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund not once, but twice, and was a huge asset to our team! Please enjoy this recap of her experiences with HWF in the late summers of both of 2019 and 2023.
2023: I visited Maui to work for Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund on July 8th for two months in 2023. I had previously come to visit in 2019 to intern with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund and fell in love with the island, turtles, and, of course, the people I met while I was there. I was so excited to get the opportunity to return for my college internship. The work I did during my time with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund was an incredible experience and showed me what to look forward to after college.
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund intern, Pippin Paulson with new honuʻea hatchlings. PC: Skippy Hau
I have always been very passionate about wildlife conservation and had an amazing experience with the hands-on aspects of these internships. I was able to work in the field collecting data on basking sea turtles as well as meeting some very interesting people and educating them on Hawaiian marine life. But my favorite part about the fieldwork I did was monitoring sea turtle nests. We slept out on the beaches under the stars to wait for the momma as well as monitor the nests for any hatchling. This experience was amazing for me; it allowed me to get to know the other interns and members of the Hawaiʻi wildlife team, as well as experience a set of constellations I could not see from the East Coast.
Towards the end of my internship, the Maui wildfires broke out; it was a difficult time, and many people were mourning the loss of friends, family, and their homes. Being a visitor, it was incredible to see the community band together. There were many food and clothing drives organized so the interns could go and help in any way they could. Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund consistently prioritized its community, and there was such a welcoming air to the organization. Although things sometimes would not go as planned, there was always someone there to help. I found that there was always support from Magda and Hannah when needed, and I feel so lucky to have had them as bosses.
The relationships and connections I’ve built through this organization have been so meaningful throughout the years and I sincerely hope to work with them again in the future.
From left to right: Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund intern, Pippin Paulson, with HWF staff, Ian Ensign and Magdalena Carey. PC: Pippin Paulson
2019: My name is Peregrine Paulson, but friends call me Pippin. I traveled to Maui in the summer of 2019 to be an intern with HWF from my home in Massachusetts. I was 17 at the time, and the first time I would be staying away from family for 2 months. It was scary at first, to move to a place for two months where I did not know anyone, but Hannah Bernard welcomed me into her home with open arms. She created a great working environment where I was able to learn about the environment and myself. I have never seen such a beautiful place as Hawaiʻi. While working with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund I was able to travel all over Maui and see the incredible animals that live there. I was not only able to experience the amazing marine life but I was also able to travel upcountry and see some very unique plants and animals.
It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to sleep under the stars and wait for green sea turtle nests to hatch. I will never forget how excited I was to see my first baby sea turtle (hatchling). It was great to see all the other volunteers get just as excited as me to see the babies. As soon as the nest began to concave everyone would gather around and wait for hours to see the first sign of baby turtles. Then once the first one came they would all come pouring out, running for the ocean as we scrambled to keep track of them all.
My experience with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund inspired me to learn more about environmental sciences. As a senior in high school, I am thinking about my experiences as I decide where to go to college next year. I cannot wait to learn more about working to protect unique and beautiful animals like sea turtles. Unfortunately because of the pandemic I was unable to return this year to intern again, but I hope that in the future I will be able to visit Hannah and the team again.
