WOMEN IN SEABIRD SCIENCE
Fransisca Noni Tirtaningtyas
she/her
Coordinator
Burung Laut Indonesia (Seabirds Indonesia)
Discipline
Behaviour, Conservation, Population Dynamics, Project Management, Public/Community Engagement, Migration & Movement Ecology
Regional Focus
Jakarta Bay, Indonesia
Years Active
16-20 years
Species Focus
Frigatebirds (Fregatidae), Gulls and Terns (Laridae), Tropicbirds (Phaethontidae), Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), Petrels and Shearwaters (Procellariidae), Skuas and Jaegers (Stercorariidae), Gannets and Boobies (Sulidae), Storm-Petrels (Hydrobatidae & Oceanitidae)
Tell us about your work with seabirds.
I currently as the coordinator of Burung Laut Indonesia, a volunteer-based community dedicated to seabird conservation across the country. Since 2009, my team and I have been conducting long-term seabird monitoring in Jakarta Bay, Indonesia where the Christmas Frigatebird has been identified as a key species. Despite the bay's severely polluted waters, it functions as an important migratory stopover and developmental habitat, with more than 1% of the global Christmas Frigatebird population spending their juvenile years in this area.
In addition to monitoring, we carry out extensive public awareness and outreach activities, and we collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to enhance public understanding and strengthen the protection of seabirds in Indonesia.
What advice would you offer to individuals aspiring to pursue a career as seabird scientists?
When I first stepped seabird conservation in 2009, I never imagined being trusted with such responsibility especially when I knew so little. But I stayed open, kept learning, and grew alongside researchers from around the world, at a time when Indonesia had very few people working in this field. Sixteen years later, I'm grateful I didn't give up. The journey hasn't been easy, but the support of my team and family has carried me forward. Commitment, curiosity, and courage keep me on this path. And when you feel stuck, look back at the creatures you protect they'll remind you why you began.
Here is an improved and clearer version incorporating your addition:
Fransisca Noni Tirtaningtyas sits wearing a blue-black shirt in front of a flock of Christmas Frigatebirds perched on a bamboo fishing net in Jakarta Bay, Indonesia. At the time the photograph was taken, she was conducting monitoring activities for seabird conservation, with a particular focus on the Christmas Frigatebird.
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@noneeguritno
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