Sea Turtle Biologist, Raa Atoll
Abdulla (Swift) Hameed was born and raised in one of the northern-most atolls of the Maldives – Shaviyani Atoll.
As a little boy, Swift could be found by the water, trudging along with sandy toes. Despite having lived on an island where one could observe climate change taking its toll, Swift had little knowledge about the world of environment and conservation. Growing up, he never had anyone who was working in conservation to look up to. So he did his best by taking part in beach clean-ups, but that was it. Little did he know that opportunity was going to come knocking for him.
He joined the Olive Ridley Project in 2022 as a Rescue Centre intern in Baa Atoll, and from then, there was no looking back for Swift. After spending three months at the Rescue Centre, he went on to work as a sea turtle biologist intern at Soneva Jani in Noonu Atoll.
During this time Swift’s passion and knowledge of sea turtle conservation grew. After almost a year in the making, in October 2023, Swift joined the ORP team as a full-time member, in the role of Education and Outreach Assistant.
In June 2024, Swift then transitioned into the role of Sea Turtle Biologist for Raa Atoll. Here he manages the Raa Atoll Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Centre at our partner resort JOALI BEING, focusing on patient care for rescued turtles. He also conducts Photo-ID research on the local turtle populations, and engages in guest education and community engagement.
