Dr Jeanne A. Mortimer, born in Chicago USA, has made her living as an international conservation biologist consultant focusing on sea turtles and tropical coastal and marine ecosystems. She has worked in some 20 countries on six continents. Having first come to Seychelles early 1981 to conduct a national survey of sea turtles and recommend management strategy to Seychelles Government, she has continued to work as a special consultant to the Government regarding sea turtle issues and was naturalized in 2007. She lived and worked in the outer islands of Seychelles for extended periods totaling several years which enabled her to visit virtually every island in the country. Her primary interests are ecosystem conservation in Seychelles and the wider Western Indian Ocean, and the biology of sea turtles, giant tortoises, and seagrass habitats. She is Chair of the Turtle Action Group of Seychelles maintains affiliations with University of Florida and University of Seychelles and has authored more than 200 publications and reports.