The Journal of Dr. Charles Darvi

In January 2027, Mauritius announced plans to begin a research project on the Chagos Islands, and invited biologists from all over the world to contribute. This is a record of the journal entries of Dr. Charles Darvi, head of the Chagos Islands research project.

## March 2027

March 5th 2027.

Today was my first day as the head of the Chagos Island project. This is such an exciting opportunity to be a part of and I couldn't wait to meet the education and environment ministers at the University this morning. They were the two cabinet members who thought up this project and they told me that they had been impressed by my tenure as head of Biology at Port Louis University. They had said that my previous experience working on research projects in the Galapagos had helped to convince them I was the man for the job. We then went over finances and the arrangements for the next few months. I am to meet with the head builder within the next week and then head over to the Chagos Islands to discuss plans and the best place to build a research outpost.

March 11th 2027.

Damn cyclones! Me and Pierre (the foreman) had been due to travel over to the Chagos today. However, due to Cyclone Wayne passing the islands, we are now unable to go until it has passed. So annoying, I was raring to go and now this happens. However, I did get some good news today. We have had responses from the international community. From what I have been told teams from DRC, Germany, Hong Kong and the Netherlands have been prepared to fly over to the Chagos once the construction is complete. This is fantastic news, it's great to see a big response from the international community. I wonder if Anna is involved...

March 21st 2027

We finally managed to get over to the Chagos today. Unfortunately, I do get quite sea sick so I definitely didn't enjoy the ride. (Note to self: Get in contact with UK + US over use of Diego Garcia runway) We first went to Diego Garcia. This would be the location of the main base of operations for the project. It would also have several labs, accommodation and a cafeteria. We had chosen a spot along an already existing road for ease of access. After we had done that, we got back in the boat and headed into the Chagos Bank itself. I had suggested building in Danger Island, but Pierre told me it was too small. To be honest I only wanted to go there because of the cool name. In the end, we went for Eagle Island. It's one of the bigger Islands in the atoll and it gives significant room for expansion if needed. The research outpost will also have a few beds and a small kitchen. Afterwards we discussed the most environmentally friendly methods of building. This included keeping noise to a minimum and using materials which won't affect the environment. Building is due to begin at the start of the month. Pierre assures me that it won't take too long, but has warned that with it being cyclone season delays a possibility. Fingers crossed there's no more cyclones!

## April 2027

April 3rd 2027

Construction work has finally begun on the HQ on Diego Garcia. The materials arrived by boat yesterday and the foundations are been laid as I write this. I also spoke with representatives from Germany today. I let them know the details of the progress we have made on construction. They seemed excited to be involved with the project. I also received an email from the Hong Kong team. They let me know they were planning to fly over soon to experience some Mauritian culture before the project begins. I told them I would arrange the flights and accommodation and that I was looking forward to their arrival. I need to get in contact with both the Netherlands and DRC in the next week.

April 9th

I was able to get in touch with the DRC today, I rang them just to confirm details of the upcoming few months. I also rang the Dutch today as well. I couldn't believe who answered the telephone. Anna Verhoeven! I haven't spoken to her in years, not since I left for the Galapagos. It was great to hear her voice again. It turns out she has got involved with the Dutch team. She told me she was looking forward to the project. We shared a few old stories and we promised to meet up for a drink before the start of the project, once she had flown over.

April 27th 2027

The HQ is finished! The work had finished yesterday and all that needs to be added is the computers and lab equipment. I'm looking forward to visiting the final product. Concentration will now turn to the research outpost on Eagle Island. As not to disturb the environment on the island, no heavy machinery will be used, with work and noise at a minimum. This leads to an increased build time, taking over a month. I went out with the Hong Kong team to celebrate. They know how to party!

## May and June 2027

May 14th 2027

The Dutch team flew out to Port Louis today. I met them at the airport around lunchtime. They were easy to spot, a large group of tired and confused looking Europeans. When they were finally able to find me, I gave them a wave to come over. When they came over, they seemed to be led by Anna. When she reached me she ignored my outstretched hand went in for a hug. Certainly unexpected, but I wouldn't say it was unpleasant! She looked a little sheepish as she pulled out of the embrace. She then introduced herself more formally. It turns out that the leader of the Dutch team, Dr Pieters, had pulled out due to family reasons. Anna had been appointed the head of the team in his absence.

After pleasantries were exchanged, I led them to the minibus. I then took them to a fish restraunt on the harbour for some lunch. After we had something to eat, I took them back to the hotel to recover from the 12 hour flight. We met up a few hours later in the hotel bar, along with some of the Hong Kong team. I spent a lot of the night introducing myself and the rest of the researchers to the new arrivals. Although towards the end of the night I spent quite a bit of time with Anna, exchanging memories of our time at university in the Netherlands. It's good to see her again.

May 27th 2027

Both the German and Congolese teams arrived yesterday. I had gotten stuck in traffic while going to pick them up. It turns out that the two teams had met eachother while waiting for me and they had already acquainted themselves with eachother. When I couldn't find them at the gate, I went looking for them and eventually found them in the airport bar. Looking forward to looking forward to working with both teams.

June 7th 2027

The research outpost has been fully built. However, a major wiring fault means it won't be operational for a while. God dammit Pierre! On the bright side, the lab equipment for HQ has been delivered and installed as planned. Not long now before we set off, so excited!

June 27th 2027

It turns out it wasn't just the electrics they messed up, it was the water as well. So it took much longer than expected. But it's all done now. I've just finished the first formal brief to the team. I outlined any dangers and precautions to take such as dehydration and insect bites. I also told everyone of the plans for the first few weeks while we are there. We'll take the first week to settle in. The following weeks will involve exploring each of the islands before going into more advanced research. This is it, it's actually happening. We're leaving on the 5th July.

## July and August 2027

July 5th 2027

Today is finally the day. Months of preparation will finally pay off today, as we set off to the Chagos Islands to begin the research project. I hardly slept last night, I think I got to sleep around half three. I had to get up at five. I had a quick shower and a coffee before I left the house, so that helped wake me up a bit. I got in my pre-booked taxi and headed to the harbour. The Germans were already there, with Hans Muller stood by the bags while the rest of his team were getting coffees from the nearby cafe. I nodded a greeting to him, which he returned. My team came not too long later, with the Congolese tagging along. Ettiene M'Bombo came p to me and shook my hand. Anna and the Dutch came 10 minutes later. She gave me a smile and a wave, before going to talk to Hans. I was beginning to think we were going to be late, as the boat was scheduled to leave at 6:30 and the Hong Kong team still weren't there. Thankfully they arrived with 5 minutes to spare and we were able to set off on time.

It was a horrible journey over to Diego Garcia. The weather had turned bad on the way, with heavy rain starting at 7:15. This made the seas choppy, and made my sea sickness even worse than usual. I really need to get in touch with the military base over shared access of the runway. After a very uncomfortable journey, we finally arrived. We then had to carry our luggage and any other equipment we had to the HQ. Thankfully, it wasn't too far. However, it still took an hour to transport everything to the base. The base looks stunning. No expense spared. Pierre had done a good job. Everything looked immaculate. I went to my room to pack away my clothes. The rooms were simple and small but were more than large enough for me and my needs. There were two people allocated to a room and I ended up sharing with Hans, the head of the German team. After I had packed away I headed to the cafeteria for something to eat. I had told everyone to meet there when they had finished. After I had eaten lunch, I addressed the room, I gave a brief outline of the plans for the next few week. We would spend the first week getting used to the new environment, setting up the lab equipment and getting to know eachother better. After that we would begin the research project. The first week would involve the study of the flora and fauna on Diego Garcia, as well as researching the surrounding ocean. There will also be a small team sent to the research outpost on Eagle Island, where they will set it up properly. The following weeks will see research projects continue on Eagle Island and the surrounding islands. After the outpost is set up on Eagle Island, the exploration of the actual coral attoll will begin. After I had talked to the team, I spent the rest of the day getting used to the base and just relaxing.

July 8th 2027

We ran into some trouble today. I was on the south coast of Diego Garcia, when I get a phone call. It turns out that one of the Congolese had managed to get arrested! It turns out he managed to fall away from the rest of his group and had somehow managed to trespass onto the military base. A couple of soldiers had found him at the side of the runway taking photographs. Obviously they saw him as some sort of foreign spy. Thankfully, they didn't shoot him on the spot. When I'm finally able to get to the military base, I'm led to a room in a small grey building. The researcher is sat on a chair, handcuffed and flanked by two armed guards. The Congolese biologists was jabbering in broken English, obviously very shaken. It was clear that he spoke very little English and the UK and American soldiers had no experience of French. Thankfully, as a fluent speaker of both, I was able to calm down the biologist and reassure the soldiers. About five minutes later, the commanding officer of the British forces on the base met with me. I was able to explain the situation to him and assure him that we meant no harm. I was also able to negotiate the use of the runway for transport of supplies to our base. Unfortunately, the camera and photographs that the researcher had taken that day had been destroyed.

July 12th 2027

The first week on the island has been a pretty successful one. We have been able to document the wildlife on Diego Garcia successfully. Apart from the incident at the military base, the first week has gone quite smoothly. For the next few weeks I'll be based at the outpost on Eagle Island.

July 28th 2027

The exploration of Eagle Island is complete. We were able to properly map out the island and get a better understanding of its geography. We have also been able to identify the breeding habits of the nesting seabirds there. There were previous studies on the seabirds, but this has clarified the previous findings of other expeditions. There was also another interesting discover during the past few weeks. One of the Dutch geologists was taking ground samples, when he came across a skeleton while digging in the ground. It was the skeleton of the bird, however we were unable to identify its species. We have sent the skeleton back to HQ where hopefully it can be identified.

August 2nd 2027

We have been unable to identify the species of the skeleton that we found. I even asked Anna, who specialises in ornithology, when I returned from Eagle Island. She said that the beak shape was unlike any of the other seabirds that had been documented as living on the island. This could be exciting news. We have either found out that there is another species of bird living on Eagle Island, or even better, we have discovered an entirely new species. Meanwhile, we have continued our expedition. We went from Eagle Island to the neighbouring Sea Cow Island. Here we were able to begin a survey on the bird population here.

August 15th 2027

We were lucky enough to be at Sea Cow Island during the breeding season of the Brown Noddy. Sea Cow Island had previously been found to be a prolific breeding ground for the Noddies, with 11,500 breeding pairs catalogued back in 2004. The results of our survey which we began last week has shown an increase in the volume of breeding pairs, rising to 14,000. We have also decided to send the skeleton of the mystery bird to the lab to figure out its age. If we cant figure out the species at least we can find out when it died.

August 27th 2027

Initial reports from the labs suggest that the bones are around 100-150 years old. We have therefore decided to start looking at extinct species of bird to try and determine the species. We have also used Anna's connections to get some of the worlds leading ornithologists to fly to the island to see if they can help identify the bird. Seen as we have finished the survey on Sea Cow Island, the next island we have decided to investigate is Danger Island. Hopefully, it isn't as dangerous as it sounds. Hopefully we get to see some boobies, red-footed ones that is!

## September and October 2027

September 3rd 2027

A handful of us left for Danger Island today. We intend to study the Red-footed Booby and their breeding patterns. We have timed this expedition nicely, we have managed to observe the breeding seasons of both the Booby and the Noddy. The rest of our party has stayed behind after observing the remains of unusual nests.

September 13th 2027

Our study of the Boobies on Danger Island has been completed. We were able to catalogue their number and have seen an increase to around 5,000 breeding pairs. Meanwhile, expert ornithologists from the UK, US and France have arrived back in Diego Garcia. They will work with the current research team to try and identify the species of the unidentified skeleton. Our team is now planning on visiting the group of islands known as the Three Brothers.

September 26th 2027

We once again saw many seabirds at the Three Brothers. On the North Brother we saw several hundred Audubon's Shearwater birds. On the Middle Brother, we were able to observe the nesting behaviour of the Sooty Tern. While on the South Brother, we were again able to see Brown Noddies as well as Lesser Noddies. We were also able to find the strange nesting patterns seen on Eagle Island. They dont correspond to any nests from the recorded seabirds on the islands. A strange one.

October 4th 2027

We have now traveled down to the Egmont Islands. Unfortunately, we found very little wildlife there. However, we did find an anchored yacht. When we went to investigate we found the boat seemed to be empty. We followed the footprints which went away from the yacht. The trail eventually led to a middle aged gentleman pissing up the side of a coconut tree. It turns out that he was an inebriated Frenchman who had got lost on his way to the Maldives. His wife had passed out on the toilet, so he had come ashore to use a handy coconut tree instead. We had a quick chat and sent him on his way. We followed shortly after.

October 6th 2027

We have returned to Diego Garcia to rest and to re-consolidate. We have now planned to got to the northern and eastern regions of the Chagos Bank, starting with Nelson Island and using it as a starting point to explore the surrounding reefs. Meanwhile, the expert ornithologists are still struggling with the identification. I thought they were supposed to be experts!

October 24th 2027

Bad weather had put our plans to explore the reefs on hold. However, we were able to investigate Nelsons Island. There is a massive amount of Noddies and Boobies on Nelsons Island. It has taken quite a while to catalogue the birds. In the meantime, my half of the exploration team has returned to Diego Garcia to research the mystery bones. Having looked at them, I've got a pretty unbelievable theory. If I'm right it could change everything.

## November and December 2027

November 1st 2027

Today we set out once again to Nelsons Island. On our previous expedition to the island we had seen evidence of turtles laying eggs on the beaches. We have therefore decided to come back and explore further. We decided to stay overnight to see if we can see any baby turtles hatching. Before that, we went out on a diving expedition. Being seasick, I decided to stay on the boat while some of the team went diving. They were able to make some good observations of both Hawksbill and Leatherback Turtles. Unfortunately, we were unable to see any turtles being hatched. A small handful of our team have volunteered to keep coming every night to see if it happens. Still no progress on the mystery bird. We have now decided to head back towards Diego Garcia and study the atolls nearby.

November 14th 2027

Some interesting developments with the remains we have found. The team who had been working on Eagle Island had decided to do a little digging around the site where the original skeleton was found. They also found a second skeleton, not too far from the site of the first one. It appears that they are both the same species, however the second one seems a lot more complete. Meanwhile, my team had been able to study the ecology of the local coral reefs. We have been able to study the Chagos Clownfish. It was observed living amongst the Brain Coral, which is also common in Chagossian waters.

November 29th 2027

Today was the last day before a planned break over December. This would allow our researchers to return to their families for the holidays. We didn't really get much work done to be honest. We spent most of the day and night drinking and partying. The Hong Kong lot were as rowdy as ever, wearing full lab gear for the whole night. I'll just say we'll definitely have to wash them when return. Eventually most of the team went to bed around 01:00. They had to be up early to catch various flights home. It ended up just a few of us dotted around the room I'm small pockets. Someone had switched the music from the upbeat, fast paced modern music to some slower, old-fashioned classics. Anna and I were chatting in the corner when 'The time of my life' came in over the speakers. 'Oh my God, I love 'Dirty Dancing', it's one of my favourite films!'Anna said. I stood up and extended by arm towards her. 'Come on, nobody puts Baby in a corner'. She took my hand and I led her to the centre of the room. There we danced for what seemed like hours, just smiling into each other's eyes. By the time we finally sat down again, we were the only ones left in the room. I looked at my watch, it was 2:45. 'Shit, you better be going to bed. You've got to be up in a few hours to catch your flight'. 'I'm not going, I want to stay here and explore Mauritius with you' she replied, 'Although, I don't know where I can stay'. 'With me' I blurted out. She giggled at my clumsiness. 'Thanks Charles'. She smiled at me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. We kept talking until the sun came up, when we finally fell asleep in eachothers arms.

December 5th 2027

Anna had been staying at my house for nearly a week now. It had been quite awkward to explain ourselves to Hans when he had found us sleeping together, limbs all tangled on the couch in the cafeteria. We had said our embarassed goodbyes, before leaving ourselves heading towards Port Louis. Being the gentleman, I had let her have my bed, while I slept on the couch. We have already had an embarassing moment. It was around 10pm and I was going to bed. Out of force of habit I headed towards my bedroom. As soon as I opened the door I heard a shriek. In the middle of the room was a half naked Anna, barely covered by her towell. I stood there, eyes wide in shock. The realisation soon dawned upon me. She had just got out of the shower. As soon as I realised, I covered my eyes and backed quickly out of the room, swearing as I went. I heard a muffled laugh in the other side of the door, I joined in. That's when I decided to start knocking before I entered my room.

December 31st 2027

Me and Anna have had a wonderful December. We had visited many of the sights to see on Mauritius. The national park, the aquarium and even the sugar museum. We spent Christmas Day at my mothers house. My father had been Hindu, but my English mother had insisted on celebrating Christmas properly. We had a wonderful dinner and had a great time. It's New Years Eve today. We had both had a long night last night, so we had a sleep in this morning. We both got up in time to see the Royal Wedding. To say they were royalty, Prince Wenzel and Princess Alexandra both seemed quite normal. They made a great couple. I had special plans for tonight. We both knew the bars and clubs would be packed, so I came up with something else. Around 10:00pm, we set off towards the centre of town. Anna had been saying all month how she had wanted to see the Natural History Museum in Port Louis. There's something special about visiting a museum at night, the sense of history, the eerie silence and the echoes that reverberate around the room at any slight noise. I held in arms a six pack, a blanket and my trusty handheld radio. Usually the museum would be should at night, especially on a major holiday. However, as one of the leading biologists in Mauritius I had been given a key. We laid the blanket down in the main hall and turned on my radio. 'You're listening to Dodo FM the radio played before moving on to the latest Justin Bieber song. He had supprised me, even after his near death experience with an overdose of heroin and becoming a born again Christian, his new Christian Rock music had still managed to pull in millions of fan girls. Me and Anna talked for hours, sharing beers and wandering the exhibits. It was nearing midnight when we found ourselves back in the main hall. We sat down together, looking up at the glass ceiling. The sky was scattered with stars and the occasional premature firework. I was watching a rocket pass overhead when I noticed Anna staring at me. I turned to face her. Her blonde hair framed her face perfectly and her eyes sparkled in the light of the moon. She looked beautiful. 'Charles, we've known eachother for a long time. Ever since you arrived at my uni, I knew I would like you'. It's amazing how I ended up at Wagingen University. I was one of two agriculture students to be chosen to go as part of relations between Mauritius and the Netherlands. However, I found agriculture not for me and transferred to Biology, where I met Anna. We spent most of our time together, studying and partying, mostly partying! 'It's almost time for the countdown to the new year, stay right here on Dodo FM'. 'I never got a chance to tell you, you left for the Galapagos as soon as you graduated'. '10...9...'. 'Tell me what?'. '8....7....'. 'That I like you Charles, I always have done'. '6...5....'. 'Yeah, I know. You're my best friend'. '3...4...'. 'Not like that..'. She leant forwards, put her hands on my face and kissed me. '2....1! Happy New Year from Dodo FM!'. That sparked something in my brain. Thousands of thoughts passed through my mind in seconds. There was no way that this was real. It didn't feel real. I broke away from Anna's lips. I looked up and stared into the lifeless, empty eye socket of the skeleton that was in the background. 'I know what species our mystery bird is!'.

## January and February 2028

January 1st 2028

I will never forget that moment. Something that would change my life struck me as the bells chimed to signal the start of the new year. It had been at the back of my mind for months, pushed down into my subconscious but still very much there. There were butterflies in my stomach. Anna was kissing me. It had finally hit me. It had been the new year message from the radio station that hammered it home. I opened my eyes. I looked past Anna to the display case. Raphus cucullatus. I stared into the hollow eyes of its skull. My lips left Anna's. 'I know what species our mystery bird is!'. Anna's dreamy expression turned to one of confusion. 'What?!'. I got up and started laughing. Anna just watched as I skipped over to the exhibit and kissed the glass. I got out my phone and began calling Hans, the leader of the German team. I began to run to the entrance of the museum before I remembered Anna. 'Is it ok if you take the stuff home? I need to go'. She nodded, still sat on the blanket with a puzzled expression on her face.

I scrambled for the keys while still on the phone to Hans. I finally found the right one and barged into my office at the biology department of the university. 'Yes, you need to get your team together and get back here as soon as you possibly can. See you soon'. This is massive! This is going to change the course of Biology. And t was our team that found it! I was making arrangements for flights back to the Chagos when I heard someone come into the room. Robert, one of my team who had gone to the islands, was stood in the doorway. 'So what is so urgent that you called us here on New Years Eve, sorry New Years Day?'. I spun my office chair round to face him. 'Only the biggest thing to happen to this country in years. We've found a dodo!'.

January 5th 2028

It had taken a few days to get together the the rest of the team. The Germans had made plans to fly over straight away. The Congo would be able to get over next week, while the Hong Kong team would be a further 3 weeks due trouble booking flights due to increased tensions with North Korea. Anna hadn't been able to get in touch with the Dutch team, no doubt they were thoroughly enjoying the Christmas period. For some reason she had been quite distant from me since my realisation, despite the good news. I couldn't figure out why so I left her to it. We had to get back over to the lab on Diego Garcia to confirm 100% that we had found a dodo skeleton, but me and the members of the team I had talked to on the phone all seemed confident. We had agreed to head out to the Chagos as soon as the Germans had arrived.

January 12th 2028

Despite a delay on the German end of things, we were finally ready to set off to the Chagos Islands. It had taken a few days to set up the equipment that we had to take back and for my team to pack their things. Anna had now gotten in touch with the Dutch team who would be arriving within the week, where they would set off for the islands as soon as they got here. We would be setting off for the Chagos in the morning.

January 26th 2028

Most of the teams have arrived here now, just waiting for Hong Kong now. We have had some bad news. We had spent the last few weeks comparing the samples of the skeleton and remains of one of the dodos from the museum in Port Louis. However, the museum sample had deteriorated due to decay and age. We are going to have to try and get a sample from elsewhere.

February 12th 2028

All the teams have arrived back in the Chagos Islands now. We have managed to secure sample from London's Natural History Museum. Hopefully these samples will be in much better condition. It has been predicted that it will take until the end of the month for the analysis to be complete.

February 28th 2028

It has been confirmed! We have found a dodo skeleton. This brings forward two very important pieces of information. Firstly, this is the first evidence of dodos being found on the Chagos Islands. They had previously only believed to have lived on Mauritius. We currently have no idea how they arrived on the islands, but will be looking into it shortly. The second is that they didn't become extinct when we first realised. They were originally thought to have died out in the late 1600's, mainly due to being hunted by Dutch settlers. However, the bones we found were only around 100 years old. This means that they were alive up until the start of the 1900's on the Chagos. So now its time to release our findings to the public. Should be hectic few weeks.

## March and April 2028

March 2nd 2028

It was time to make the announcement. I had made a quick flight over to the mainland, to the university where I met my team after I figured it out. There was to be a press conference held in the main lecture theatre. I was nervous, I had made statements to the press before but never anything of this scale. I entered through the double doors. The room was already full, more people had turned up than I had expected. The first few rows filled with journalists, photographers and representatives from scientific journals. The back rows were then filled up with my peers, my fellow lecturers, some of my research team, students who I had taught over the years, the dean of the university and of course Anna who had been the one to fly over with me. She had been quiet all through the flight though, something is wrong. I'll have to talk to her about it at some point. I finally got to the podium. I caught the flash of photographs been taken out of the corner of my eye.

'I'm sure you know why you're her. We are here because we have made a significant discovery on the Chagos Islands. We have been carrying out a research programme on the islands for around the past six months. When digging for a soil sample on one of the islands, we came across a skeleton. We were unable to identify the skeleton at first. however we have now been able to distinguish its species. The skeleton that we found is of a dodo.' A burst of camera flashes filled my vision and the frantic mumbling between the biologists in the room. 'For those who are unaware, dodos had previously thought to be indigenous only to Mauritius. When testing the age of the bones, we found they were only around 100 years old. This also means that dodos didn't go extinct when we believed them to have'. This made something in the other half of the room click. My vision was filled by a second burst of camera flashes.

March 14th 2028

My phone had been ringing pretty much none stop since the announcement to the press. I was getting calls, emails and texts from biologists from around the world, wanting to know more about the discovery and congratulating me on it. I've been invited to speak further on Mauritian TV. This means I'll be unable to get back to the Chagos for a while. Anna has already flown back. Hopefully they can continue their work without me.

March 25th 2028

Its been a pretty successful few weeks. Not only was I able to appear on national television, but I was also able to highlight our research to the wider public. As a result the Mauritian government has given us further funding to help with our work. I have also been asked to take part in an interview for National Geographic.

April 4th 2028

Today I'm setting off the Chagos again. I've done all the interviews and TV appearances that were asked of me. I've enjoyed but I am looking forward to getting my head down and cracking on with this research. Should be nice to have a bit of peace and quiet!

April 19th 2028

We had finally started up the research project again today. With me gone, it had been a bit hectic. Not only had all the attention gone on the skeleton, but it had also take a while to set up all the equipment. We will now be looking towards the north end of the Chagos. We will first visit the Salomon Islands and then on to the many islands of Peros Banhos and the surrounding reefs.

April 30th 2028

Today we finally set off for the Saloman Islands. We would first visit Île Diable and Île Anglaise, the southernmost islands. We were unable to find many signs of life, however we were able to look and record the species of plants that were there.

## May and June 2028

May 3rd 2028

We have now moved on to Boddam Island. The island used to be inhabited by native Chagossians who gone over to set up plantations. However, they had been abandoned when they were forced out by the British. There had apparently been between 400 and 500 people who had lived there before the eviction. There had been a sizable settlement on Boddam Island which had now been lost to the jungles. It was eerie to walk through the abandoned streets, looking at how the schools, houses, shops and offices had been reclaimed by nature. There was also what appeared to be a farm, most likely for chickens. We later found what looked like a hen house. However, on closer inspection they were much bigger than a hen house would be expected to be. As we went further into the farm we found what looked to be a mound of dirt. It looked suspicious so we began to dig it up. We ended up finding some bones. At first glance it appears to be avian and it looks too big to be a chicken bone. We have arranged a full excavation for the near future.

May 12th 2028

The dig revealed more bones hidden deeper within the mound. It appeared to be an assortment of bones made up from several animals, not just a single one. The way they were all gathered in one spot suggests that it was a mass grave of some sort. Analysis is been run to determine the species of the bones. Meanwhile, we have continued to explore the rest of the Salomon Islands. From Boddam Island we then moved on to Takamaka Island and Fouquet Island

May 21st 2028

Analysis of the bones have found that they are the remains of dodos. It appears that the dodos were been kept on Boddam Island at some point, either as pets or even possibly as farm animals. This would explain the larger than usual hen house. This is intriguing news. While the dodo had been hunted and used as a source of food, this is the first evidence of them been bred and kept for this purpose. However, it is still unclear how the dodos arrived on the island. We have now finished our exploration of the Salomon Islands, and we now plan to move on to Peros Banhos. We intend build an outpost there due to its sheer size. I have already contacted Pierre, who has said he will get it built as soon as possible.

June 4th 2028

The construction of the second outpost on Peros Banhos is almost complete. Pierre has assured me that it will be completed by next week, the next 10 days at the latest. We have regrouped on Diego Garcia while we wait for the outpost to be built. Anna seems to have perked up a bit in the last few weeks which is nice to see, although she hasn't talked much to me and still seems to be avoiding me. She has been spending a lot of time with Hans recently though.

June 13th 2028

We received some bad news today. We found out that the Queen had passed away. It was a sad day considering Mauritius is a proud member of the Commonwealth. We had a small service and two minutes silence before we began work for the day. In honour of Queen Elizabeth we have decided to name the new outpost on Peros Banhos the 'Elizabeth's Outpost'. Elizabeth's Outpost has now been completed and we will move equipment to the island shortly. In the mean time we have been exploring the surrounding waters of the atoll. We came across an abandoned ship which had been run aground. Upon further inspection the boat seems to be from around the late 1600's. Inside we found some small wooden cages. Also among the wreckage I found what appears to be a traditional Chagossian nose flute. I put it in my pocket to examine later.

June 29th 2028

We have finally arrived on Peros Banhos. Elizabeth's Outpost looks fantastic and is great for our needs. We are currently located on Ile du Coine. From here we will be able to explore the atoll fully. It was previously home to another settlement and was where the coconut plantations were located. We will begin exploring the island within the next few days. I wonder if we will find any more evidence of dodo farming.

## July and August 2028

July 2nd 2028

Its our first day exploring Ile du Coine. We first decided to go to decided to explore the coconut plantations. They had been abandoned long ago and had quickly become overgrown. The buildings were in complete ruin and the coconut trees themselves had grown out of hand. We did find some birds nests in the undergrowth, however they had been abandoned. We moved on into the nearby settlement. There found another hen house similar to the one on the Salomon Islands. It was still intact apart from the door had been broken off.

July 17th 2028

We have now covered the whole of Ile du Coine and have also looked over nearby Ile Fouquet and Ile Poule. We are now planning to explore the Danger Shoals which are nearby. Due to my inexperience with diving, I have returned to Diego Garcia to consolidate with the rest of the team. I also thought it would be a good opportunity to recharge, gather our findings and plan where we go from here. It also allows me rest and maybe spend some time with Anna. She has been acting strange around me ever since New Years Eve. I can't think of what it is she is obviously upset about. Anyway, at least she seems a bit happier now. She seems to have made good friends with Hans. When I walked through the cafeteria today I saw Hans with his arm round her, Anna seemed to be blushing as she caught my eye.

July 26th 2028

We are now moving onto the next stretch of islands. These include Petite Soeur, Grande Soeur and Ile Verte. The Dutch and German teams will accompany my team as we search these new areas. We were able to successfully document the flora and fauna which we found on the islands. We were heading back to the boat when I saw Anna and Hans walking ahead of me. Hans reach down and took hold of Anna's hand. She didn't retract her hand. Something about it made me feel uneasy, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

August 9th 2028

We have now moved to the North part of the atoll. We first went to Moresby Island. It is named after the British hydrographer who once sailed and documented the Chagos. His findings have been important to understanding of the archipelago, however his records are now outdated. For example, Ile Verte was originally just a small sandbank but has now become a small island covered in vegetation. We then continued on to Ile Longue and Ile Parasol. There we were able to collect further data on the Sooty Tern. We have found that there are over 60,000 breeding pairs now on the two islands, an increase of around 7-8000 pairs since the last survey of the islands in 2004.

August 30th 2028

Today we visited Ile Yeye and Ile Bois Mangue. Ile Bois Mangue translates as Mango Wood Island. The whole island is covered in mango trees. We were able to spot several Lesser Noddies feasting on the ripe mangoes that had fallen to the floor. The island is home to around 14,000 Noddies. Once we had recorded our findings we headed back to Diego Garcia. I was quite tired after the boat journey back to HQ, so I went for a nap in my room. When I got up I decided to check my email. I found a message from my parents with an attachment. It was the photos of me and Anna on Christmas Day. She looked so cute in her novelty Christmas jumper. 'This is exactly what is needed to reconnect with her' I thought to myself. I headed to the cafeteria where she normally hangs out. The scene I saw made my stomach turn and my heart sink. It was then that I relised what had been just under my nose for so long. The penny had finally dropped, now that it appeared to be too late. My thoughts raced back to New Years Eve. There should have been two discoveries that night, not just the dodo. To add insult to injury another realisation came to the front of my mind and it hit me like a tonne of bricks. The kiss. It wasn't just a friendly peck to welcome in the new year, but one filled with months of tension and passion, at least on Anna's end. But I had been oblivious, unaware of her true feelings. The avoidance, the lack of interaction all went under my radar. I had basically unintentionally rejected her for a pile of dodo bones. No wonder she wasn't talking to me much. I'd blown it before it had any chance to blossom. This realisation had come too late. I liked Anna, a lot.But now there is nothing I can do about it, I feel helpless. I turned away from the scene and walked back to my room, as Anna and Hans kissed once more.