1. Your past work with turtle rehabilitation is incredibly moving. Can you share how you first fell in love with marine conservation and what keeps you inspired, even on tough days?
I believe my path into marine conservation was shaped from a young age, with my mom playing a guiding role, taking me on regular visits to the ocean, Boulders Beach penguin colony and the Two Oceans Aquarium. These outings gave me the chance to experience marine animals up close and in their natural habitats, undoubtedly sparking my early interest in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.
My passion for marine conservation only grew from there, rooted in a deep love for the ocean and the incredible creatures that call it home.
2. At Wren, we’re constantly learning how to do better – from reducing plastic use to upcycling materials. Your work highlights just how much harm microplastics cause. What are some simple but impactful changes people can make to reduce plastic pollution?
Plastic pollution, especially microplastics, is one of the biggest threats facing our oceans and the creatures that call it home. Sea turtles and seabirds often mistake plastic for food or become entangled in marine debris, which can be fatal, as in the case of Cape fur seals being found entangled in plastic bags and discarded fishing line.
But the good news? Each of us can take steps to help reduce this harm. Here are some simple but impactful changes that can make a big difference:
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Reduce single-use plastics by swapping disposables for reusable alternatives, think multi-use coffee cups, metal water bottles and straws and cloth shopping bags. Vital first step in helping cut back significantly on everyday waste. Small changes in habit can quickly lead to big results when adopted by many.
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Repurpose and upcycle materials wherever possible, giving items a meaningful second life keeping them out of landfills and our oceans.
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Participate in or organise beach clean-ups as a direct way to reduce marine life encountering pollution in key habitats, while also fostering a sense of community responsibility along our coastline.
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Raising awareness is one of the most powerful tools we have. Whether conversations with friends and family or sharing information on social media, educating others about the threats facing marine wildlife can inspire meaningful action. Storytelling, photography, and community engagement brings the issue closer to home and empower others to get involved. Change often starts with a conversation, spreading awareness can inspire action and drive support for conservation initiative.
Every action, big or small, contributes to a greater collective impact. Together, through thoughtful daily choices and collective action we can ensure marine wildlife can thrive safely in their ocean home.
3. Wren’s values of sustainability and design with impact align so closely with what you do. In what ways do you think design, fashion, or everyday consumer choices can play a role in supporting marine conservation?
Design has incredible power, it shapes what we buy, how we live and interact with the world. Thoughtful, sustainable design can help reduce waste, inspire behaviour change, and even directly support conservation efforts.
I’ve seen this firsthand through my own WaddleOn by Marts penguin inspired sock brand, a unique wearable way to raise awareness and it’s allowed me to donate over R80,000 this past year alone toward SANCCOB seabird rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
When we choose brands like Wren that prioritise sustainability, we show that small mindful decisions, when made consistently by many, can create powerful lasting change for our planet.
4. You founded WaddleOn by Marts. What inspired this initiative? Can you tell us more about it, and how does creativity support your conservation work?
WaddleOn by Marts was born from a deep love and unwavering dedication to African Penguins, creatures whose remarkable resilience in the face of ongoing challenges continues to inspire me.
After several years of volunteering and interning with SANCCOB, a leading seabird rescue and rehabilitation centre, and conducting my honours thesis in collaboration with them, I gained extensive hands-on experience caring for these charismatic seabirds. My journey also took me to several key seabird colonies, where I have had the privilege of assisting researchers and conservation teams from BirdLife South Africa and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) on Robben Island, Dassen Island and Lamberts Bay Bird Island.
Design has always been a creative outlet for me, and with WaddleOn, it became a way to make a real difference for a species so close to my heart. Using creativity as a tool for conservation can allow one to contribute to conservation with a different approach, offering a fun and engaging way to connect people to seabird conservation and transforming awareness into action, one sock at a time.
5. Was there a moment in your life that sparked your deep connection to the ocean and marine life?
Absolutely, Boulders Beach holds an especially special place in my heart. It was where I encountered my first two penguin rescues, one an emaciated blue and the other an adult with an eye injury. Guiding rangers to those birds and watching them respond with care and urgency truly inspired me. I was drawn to the hands-on, practical side of conservation, and those early experiences were what first planted the seed for my purpose and set me on the path I am walking today.
6. How can individuals, brands, and communities support the work you do and the health of our oceans?
Support can take many forms and every effort makes a difference.
Individuals can start by avoiding single-use items, participating in cleanups, raising awareness of our impact our everyday actions have on marine life. Simple changes can ripple out to create real and lasting impact.
Brands, like Wren, that prioritise sustainability, have the ability to shift mindsets and industry norms. By committing to responsible production, upcycling materials and reduce plastic use while raising awareness through their customer base.
Communities play an incredible impact in conservation. Having seen first hand the incredible impact of volunteers in wildlife rescues and educational outreach. Empowering people at the community level creates a ripple effect that extends beyond one person or one campaign.
7. Working so closely with wildlife must be emotional at times. What keeps you grounded and hopeful on the hard days?
Even on the hardest days, one needs to find strength in the small wins: a seal disentangled from abandoned fishing line, a hatchling that has just passed plastic that mistook for food, a penguin making it through a long rehabilitation journey. These victories may seem small in the grand scheme, but they are incredibly meaningful. These moments remind me of the impact we have, why we do what we do, that every effort counts no matter how small it may appear.
One of the biggest challenges in the conservation field is the unpredictable and rapidly changing nature of the work. In a crisis situation, like an oil spill or mass seabird chick abandonment, you may be called to work long hours under pressure. It requires deep commitment, flexibility and a kind of resilience that only grows over time.
But in those moments it’s important to remember: this is exactly what rescue, rehabilitation and release programmes exist for. This is their purpose, to be there when wildlife needs us most. And that makes the work not only necessary, but deeply meaningful.
Ultimately, I’ve learned it’s possible to live your passion, and perhaps more importantly to encourage others to live theirs. And by supporting the organisations and people behind these efforts, whether through time, donations, awareness or collaboration, you can become part of a much bigger impact. One that reaches far beyond a single rescue.
8. You recently participated in the Sardine Run, can you share with us your involvement and your experience?
I recently had the bucket-list opportunity to join a boat on the Sardine Run along South Africa’s Wild Coast, and went into it with an open mind and no expectations for wildlife sightings both above and below the surface. The ocean delivered with sightings of Bryde’s and Humpback whales, Common and Bottlenose dolphins, Sharks, Albatross, Petrels, Skuas, African penguins, Loggerhead turtle and to top it all off an Oceanic manta ray!
The week’s experience refreshed my perspective and purpose, a powerful reminder of why we do the work we do and to maintain that reminder.