East Malaysia is known for its gorgeous diving spots on a global scale. But how often do we pay attention to what goes on behind the scene to understand, preserve, and educate the public about conserving the marine life?
Meet Nattelee, an East Malaysian whose work and life are jumbled up into a ball of sunshine, sweat, and sharks. Best of all, she’s loving every bit of it #careergoals
1. Hello Nattelee! Please tell us more about yourself.
Hello! Well, I’m a proud Sabahan, born and raised in Kota Kinabalu. Growing up in the coastal area, I call the beach and sea my playground. I then went on further my studies in Marine Biology and currently attached with a local marine environmental society, Kudat Turtle Conservation Society as marine biologist, freelance marine researcher and educator.
2. How long have you been working as a marine biologist?
I grew up with so much love for the ocean and marine life. Formally, I started my education around Marine Biology right after high school and still very much involved with Marine conservation work and movement. I’ll say close to a decade.
3. Why did you pursue this line of work?
It started with a natural fondness of the place I grew up. Beaches and sea has always been accessible, I develop interest with sea animals. I thought it was cool dealing with them, I still think it is such a cool thing. Only this time around, I get to be involved in a bigger scale.
4.If our readers were to tag along with you to work, what can we expect from a typical working day?
My day starts early. There are a lot of prep work and getting to places. It’s an equal fun to it too, such as boat rides, seawater splashing, getting into the water, communicating with coastal/island community, brushing shoulder with turtles, getting tanned and by the end of the day, you go to bed thinking, “woah, I had a full day”. It’s very fulfilling and satisfying, you want to do it all over again the next day.
5. What are the highlights and lowlights you’ve encountered so far in your line of work?
The highlight is definitely discovering new places, dive sites especially. Going to beaches, waters that nobody has heard of, so beautiful that you can only understand it by being there yourself. It’s like treasure hunting, but the sea version. The lowlight would be the physical exhaustion in the end of the day, you always want to stretch it a little more.
6. Areas which you think needs improvement?
The public awareness and accessibility to information about marine science. It would be nice to finally come to a period where marine life is being taken in to a light it deserves and how important the relation to us.
7. If you get to be a bio marine creature, what would it be, and why?
I’ll be a shark. The supreme of all marine predator. They are like the king of the sea, and I like the idea of it. Haha!
8. Is there anything you’d like to educate our readers about the bio marine life in Malaysia?
Coral is an animal not ‘rock’ or plant. There are alive and living.
9. Your personal favourite diving spots in East Malaysia?
This is like asking a parent who is their favourite child. I don’t really have a favourite diving spots or sites; every site has their own charm that I can appreciate. I have always enjoy diving in north-west coast of Sabah, if I must say a place.
10. What is your life motto?
Be like a shark. Take a bite of life, stay active, keep moving forward, live fiercely and stay sharp!
11. What do you usually do during your free time?
Surprisingly, they are non-marine related. I’d go for a run, doing arts & crafts, especially sewing. My guilty pleasures are binge watch some of my favourite TV series.
12. Any advice on conserving the environment?
Learn about the environment, be aware what’s happening, get involved and be part of taking care of the environment.
