Throughout this past year the Friends of Midway Atoll have been blessed with the motivating energy, a creative eye and passion of a volunteer known as Dan Rapp. Dan is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteer who has been sharing his work and the beauty of Kuaihelani with YOU, though his stellar photographs and cinematography skills, to tell a story and conservation success through his cinematography and educational creativity. Most of the videos we reveal to you on social media channels were produced by Dan. For those who do not receive their information through social media outlets, most of Dan's video clips are available on our YouTube channel! His most stellar photos are highlighted here, and he can be found on several posts within our Facebook page. His dedication is evident during the long hours taken to capture the essence of seabirds found on Midway. FOMA is grateful for his willingness to share his work with our audience. For these reasons, we would like to introduce you to the man behind the camera.
Dan is a seabird biologist, as a profession and a way of life. Seabirds and the places they live have been the mainstay of most of his adult life. Ironically, he had no idea this field of study even existed until after college.
Originating from a suburb of Chicago, Dan Rapp has made his way to Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) eight different times as a contractor and volunteer. Dan began pursuing biological fieldwork after completing undergraduate studies. He started working in fisheries restoration and eventually landed in remote parts of the Pacific Ocean finding a deep connection to seabirds. His work in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument began in 2010 on Tern Island at Lalo (French Frigate Shoals) as a FWS volunteer. After completing a Master’s in Marine Science at Hawaiʻi Pacific University, Dan began alternating field seasons between Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.
Dan’s primary research interests include long-term monitoring of the health of seabird populations and seabird tracking as used to understand how these species interact with their marine environment.
This year, Dan was able to accomplish something he’d long thought about, which was to track the movements of two seabird species never before tagged with GPS data loggers: the ʻAkihikeʻehiʻale (Tristram’s Storm Petrel) and Nunulu (Bonin Petrel). Six ʻAkihikeʻehiʻale and 31 Nunulu were tagged yielding the first data of its kind tracing the routes these small but hardy seabirds fly.
Photo by Beth Flint
Photo by Rob Shallenberger
Dan might have inherited the photographic eye from his parents, with a father who was a recording engineer and a mother who videoed all family events and camping trips, but it was not until he began working with seabirds that he dedicated more time to photography and videography. He is slowly learning the art and acquiring the skills to capture and share the world he lives in, first dabbling in time-lapse photography, because it could capture wildlife and his work without him having to be behind the camera (a kind of set-it and forget it).
Over time, Dan has assembled better gear and gained more experience to be able to capture stunning footage of wildlife and the work to conserve it. It has been an unexpected life, and not without its pitfalls, but life as a seabird biologist has brought Dan exactly what he wanted: a life in the wilds and a path to help conserve it.
FOMA greatly appreciates the work and efforts of Dan Rapp over the last year. Our wish is that he continues his passion of cinematography and photography of Midway's fascinating conservation efforts. Please consider becoming a member by donating here. Your donation greatly helps in efforts such as these!
Article written by Krystal Winn, Dan Rapp, Keelee Martin & Ann Bell