We’re pleased announced the successful applicants who will join the 2013 MantaWatch Internship Program.

This year’s MantaWatch interns will join our team in West Manggarai and Komodo from September 15 to October 11, where they will help continue our monitoring of local manta populations and contribute to the establishment of the newly created shark and manta ray sanctuary. They will each receive a Guy Joseph MantaWatch Award, which provides a fully-funded scholarship to the program.

Scientific diving training

This year’s interns are:

	Ranny Yuneni Hi, I’m Ranny and I’m a marine science undergraduate at Diponegoro University in Semarang. I believe it’s important to save and say thank you to nature. Many people in Indonesia don’t yet know about manta rays or the treats they face. I want to protect manta rays by educating others.
	Riza Zamzami I am a student at Bogor Agricultural University, and a member of the university’s Fisheries Diving Club. I am concerned about illegal fishing and other problems in Indonesia that are endangering manta rays. Through the MantaWatch Internship Program I hope to gain experience and knowledge that can hep me to take an active role in protecting our marine life.
	Satria Afnan I am undergraduate student at Bogor Agricultural University. I’m 22 years old, and my interests are sustainable marine conservation, scientific diving, and developing fishing technology. I also enjoy playing music! I’m looking forward to contributing to improving sustainable management of manta rays in Indonesia.
	Vidlia Rosady I am marine science undergraduate at Padjadjaran University, Bandung. I was born in Lombok–the most beautiful island in Indonesia–and now live in Bintan. The oceans, sea and beach matter to me, and I decided to study marine science to learn how I can protect this important natural resource. I hope that I will gain valuable experience through the MantaWatch Internship Program, and prove that I have what it takes to be a future marine scientist in Indonesia.