When May Engelhardt stepped onto the windswept sands of Sable Island this month, she knew she was taking part in a unique experience as an undergrad by visiting a protected island to carry out her own independent field research.
The crescent-shaped island, located about 300 kilometers southeast of Halifax in the Atlantic Ocean, is home to wild horses, sprawling dunes, and species found nowhere else on Earth.
May, a third-year student, travelled there as the 2025 recipient of the Inspired by Sable Island Post-Secondary Award, presented by the in partnership with . Her proposal to carry out a survey of horse and seal scat 鈥� excrement 鈥� for evidence of invertebrates was chosen for its originality and strong conservation focus.
It still doesn鈥檛 feel real.
鈥淚t still doesn鈥檛 feel real,鈥� she said, recalling the moment she got the news. 鈥淚 applied on the 25th, and suddenly I was packing gear and checking weather reports.鈥�
Stepping onto Sable Island
May departed Halifax early on October 8 for the day-long research trip, boarding a small plane with pilot Debbie Brekelmans, who has logged more than a thousand flights to the island. She joined Melanie Taljaard from Friends of Sable Island and Sarah Medill from Parks Canada, with support from April Hennigar, chair of the Friends of Sable Island Society.聽聽
After about an hour in the air, the island's dunes appeared out of the mist.聽
The island appears. (May Engelhardt photo)
鈥淟anding felt surreal,鈥� she says. 鈥淪able Island is indescribable. Once we arrived, we had a briefing and toured the main research facility and then drove down to South Beach so I could start surveying.鈥�
During her day on the island, May conducted naturalistic observations and invertebrate surveys on insects found in horse and seal droppings. Careful not to disturb the animals or their habitat, she used a telephoto and a macro lens camera to document her findings on these species while filling out her data collection sheets.聽聽
Finding confidence
Preparing for a solo field expedition came with challenges. May admits she was nervous. 聽
鈥淚 must have packed and repacked ten times,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 borrowed equipment from the lab, checked lists with my mentors, and tried to remind myself I could actually do this.鈥�
Even with her preparation, reality didn鈥檛 hit until she boarded the plane. 鈥淭he excitement didn鈥檛 really kick in until that morning,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut once I was in the air, the fear turned into excitement鈥�.
Lessons from the island
Being on Sable Island changed how May sees her work and herself.聽聽
鈥淚 wanted to see everything,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut I had to remind myself that curiosity needs to come with care. One wrong step could disturb a sparrow nest or damage insect larvae.鈥�
That mindfulness is part of being a conservation biologist, she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about knowing that your presence has an impact and learning to minimize it.鈥�
Sable Island seals. (May Engelhardt photo)
Through her research, May learned to identify the invertebrates found in horse and seal scat, small but important clues about how nutrients move through Sable Islands ecosystem. Her work gave her a closer look into how each species plays into the Island's delicate balance.
She also learned about the efforts to conserve the Island's unique species, from the large grey seal haul down to the endemic bee species pollinating the Island's flowers. Her observations contribute to ongoing research with Parks Canada as well as her own research efforts.
The island's famed wild horses. (May Engelhardt photo)
Inspiring the next generation
Back in Halifax, May credits her mentors and peers for helping her discover the opportunity and apply for it.聽聽
鈥淒r. Shelley Adamo and Professor Isabelle Aube have been amazing,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd my sister Helen鈥檚 encouragement meant everything to me.鈥�
Winning the award 鈥� which also came with a $500 prize 鈥� and leading her first independent field work project has boosted her confidence as a biologist.聽聽
鈥淭his was my first time going out into the field on my own,鈥� she says. 鈥淣ow I know I can contribute something meaningful.鈥�
