FORMER All Blacks hooker and Captain Anton Oliver has taken a new twist in his career where environment and its conservation are his priority areas.
Mr Oliver, who made his international debut for the All Blacks against Fiji in June 1997 at Albany, has been working with Birdlife International in Fiji's outlying Ringgolds Islands from the start of this month.
Ringgolds Island is approximately 60 to 100km north east of Taveuni.
Mr Oliver, who last featured for the ABs at the World Cup last year having made 298 first class appearances including 85 provincial games, 127 for the Highlanders and 59 tests, started off with his research into the link between biosecurity and economic security.
The Fiji program of Birdlife International focuses on eradicating rats from islands of international importance for breeding seabirds and its program on the Ringgold Islands involves working with local people to conserve important seabird nesting sites.
The program's long-term goal is to generate revenue through initiatives such as eco-tourism and the first step is to reduce the threat of bird predation posed by pacific rats.
The first rat bait drop activity on the island occurred on June 18 and the second one took place on the first of this month.
He hopes that lessons learnt while working in the Ringgolds Island will be the start of his new career.
"My project is designed to look at conservation in most of the basic and political setting from which I hope to develop some fundamental concepts which in the future, I can adapt to more complex environment," said the rugby star.
Conservation is a priority issue for Mr Oliver and he is excited to be part of the program. However what is more important to him is the learning bit.
"I like learning and reading a lot especially about conservation and materials in relation to the environment and I am excited about the whole thing. But what I see as of more importance is the need to educate myself to know more about this.
"I am seen as a public profile and in order to have credibility in what I intend to do, I need the qualifications otherwise people will say what is he talking about," he said with a laugh.
Mr Oilver starts with his Master in Science on Biodiversity, Conservation and Management at the Oxford University in the United Kingdom in October.
