Hi!

I'm Alex, a Wildlife Conservation student at the University of Salford.

I am thrilled to share an incredible opportunity I have to join Operation Wallacea this July in Calakmul, Mexico!

I'll be working as a research assistant, helping to conduct vital conservation research in one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet.

For over 25 years, Wallacea has empowered students like me to engage in crucial biodiversity field expeditions and collaborate with leading scientists to drive essential research. This expedition not only gives us critical fieldwork experience but also fuels impactful conservation efforts. All the data collected contributes to over 25 years of biodiversity data collection which allows us a unique and important insight into how our natural world is changing.

For this crucial research to be possible and to have been able to continue for so many years, students (like myself) must raise funds for their own expedition.

I need to raise £5,000!

No small sum for anybody, let alone a full-time student. To raise as much money as possible, I am going to be taking on a near impossible task...

This May, 2026, I am going to be running 1km for every day of the month. That means 1km on the 1st, 2km on the second 3km on the 3rd....you get the idea! All the way to the 31st! That is a grand total of 496km (or 308 miles) in 31 days... 10 days of running over half a marathon every day and a total of 12 marathons in a month....yikes... However, the neotropical rainforest is under a huge threat! It is crucial we learn as much as we can about these vital ecosystems before it is too late, even if that means sacrificing my knees!

I will be sharing updates and vlogging my fitness/training journey, plus any other conservation work I will be involved in before I kick off the challenge in May. During the challenge, I will be posting daily updates and records of my runs so you guys can keep me in check!

If you are not in a position to be able to donate, please do not worry! Any support, whether it is just sharing a link or a post, is truly appreciated and I am very thankful for any type of contribution <3

Thank you all again, and stay tuned for more updates!