HIS feet have hardly had time to touch the ground, but wildlife fan Ralph Todd is already off on his next trip.

Mr Todd, 52, of Horsham Road, Bexleyheath, has just returned from one of his most exotic trips to Central America to study manatees otherwise known as sea cows.

His trip to Belize was to help the environmental charity Earthwatch which is monitoring the manatees' lifestyle and habitat to try and protect them.

Mr Todd was part of an international team made up of an American, who has spent the last six years studing the large mammals, two rookie marine biologists and four volunteers including Mr Todd.

"It was 104 degrees when I arrived, then there was a cold spell dropping to the low 80s.We slept in partitioned huts with rainwater showers and electricity from solar panels," he said.

Most of their time was taken up sitting offshore in the 25ft boat with a canopy overhead monitoring and logging the manatees' movements.

Manatees are an endangered species which live mainly in the sea and graze on sea grasses."

Mr Todd, who knew nothing about manatees before his trip, said: "They graze in the shallow water and you can spot them by the shreds of sea grass floating on the water, or when their nostrils poke up out of the water for breath. I've never looked up so many nostrils in my life!"

After a day on the water, the group often went for a swim in the late afternoon around Belize's coral reef the second largest in the world.

Then they took turns to cook and watch spectacular sunsets.

The trip was paid for by an Earthwatch Millennium Award, co-funded by Royal and SunAlliance and the National Lottery. The awards are available only to the over-50s.

Part of the deal is Mr Todd has to undertake a conservation-based community project. A keen amateur photographer, he had taken hundreds of pictures and now plans to tour clubs, schools, groups and anywhere else which will have him, talking about his trip and how people can get involved in conservation work every bit as important, at home in Bexley.

But for now, he is off to Greece to lead a birdwatching tour.

To hear his talk, email Mr Todd at rbtodd@todds9.fsnet.co.uk