If you needed a campaigner, Frances Goodrum is exactly the kind of person you would want on your side. Personable, articulate and accomplished, she would, without a doubt, get the job done and get it done right. So, as conservationists, we’re lucky that early on she chose to pursue a different path to her training
I first met Dung Nguyen Van, Free the Bears Vietnam Programme Manager, in Cat Tien National Park (Vietnam) in 2017. He was very much a man on a mission as the brand-new bear sanctuary was due to open that July, and his pride for what they had achieved was unmistakable. What I didn’t realise was
Have you ever met someone whose energy exudes from them so powerfully that you cannot help but be affected? Well that is Dionne. I first met Dionne Slagter – Animal Welfare Manager – in Hanoi, Vietnam. She was to be my supervisor for three months on an animal welfare project we were working on. I was
Have you ever looked back on your life and wondered how you ended up where you are now? You too? Join Charlotte Daniels, then! Charlotte is a Primatologist based in Nairobi, Kenya. She currently works as a United Nations Volunteer for the UN Environment Programme, working on the Vanishing Treasures project and supporting the Secretariat
Before I met Georgina, I’d heard a lot about her. People were always talking about how determined she was to make a difference to the lives of animals around the world. I spoke with her a lot before I met her too. She talked me through three gruelling months of practical welfare work in Vietnam.
Michelle Proulx is the Director of animal care and educational programmes at W.O.L.F Sanctuary, Colorado, USA. W.O.L.F is an acronym for Wolves Offered Life and Friendship. The wolf conservation charity rescues captive-born wolves and wolf dogs that have previously been kept as pets and provides them with a permanent life long home at the sanctuary’s facility,
Would you like to create better conservation impact during your career? The ability to design and implement projects to better protect species, habitats and sites is key to success within conservation. But only a small proportion of professional conservationists are formally trained in these essential skills. A well-designed and adaptively managed project can make a
Within conservation there is a growing realisation that we need to do much more to share our messages and encourage more support and action. As a result, conservation employers are rapidly looking for people with communications skills. They want staff who can plan communications activities, write effectively, get press and media attention, engage audiences on
As a career switcher, I have a very personal understanding of the misconceptions that surround working in the conservation sector, especially when it comes to ‘breaking into conservation’. I can relate to that feeling of despair brought on by the natural assumption that the only way in is to go via the costly and time-consuming
Conflicts between humans and wildlife are very common in Africa. These conflicts will most likely increase due to the growth of the human population. By 2050, the human population of Africa is expected to double in size, resulting in an ever-increasing need for space to grow food and built houses. The expansion of human civilization
Would you like to create better conservation impact during your career? The ability to design and implement projects to better protect species, habitats and sites is key to success within conservation. But only a small proportion of professional conservationists are formally trained in these essential skills. A well-designed and adaptively managed project can make a
Have you ever found yourself reading through job applications and feeling disheartened after seeing requirements such as these? “Physically fit for the demands of this role” “A suitable level of physical fitness for assisting with the capture and restraint of animals as well as manoeuvring tools (including wheelbarrows)” “The role is physically demanding and our
Misty MacDuffee is a biologist and program director with the Wild Salmon Program of British Columbia, Canada’s Raincoast Conservation Foundation. She focuses on fisheries ecology in salmon ecosystems; for the past 15 years she has led diverse studies examining the salmon of the BC coast, including field, lab, technical, and conservation evaluation. With the knowledge
Are you applying for conservation jobs unsuccessfully? Do you struggle to receive feedback on your applications? Would you like to increase your chances of success by learning from employers? Join us for a free webinar with guest speakers from Conservation International and the RSPB to get first-hand insights into how these top conservation employers recruit
Within conservation there is a growing realisation that we need to do much more to share our messages and encourage more support and action. As a result, conservation employers are rapidly looking for people with communications skills. They want staff who can plan communications activities, write effectively, get press and media attention, engage audiences on
Are you thinking about a career in marine conservation? Have you thought about working for a charity? At a charity, you can spend your life helping others, especially those without a voice! The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is the voice for Australia’s oceans. They’re the sole national charity devoted to defending marine life! Darren Kindleysides, the CEO, has led
Have you thought about starting a blog? Are you passionate about writing and communicating and want to share your thoughts, experiences and opinions? Will it make a difference? Kate Stephenson did just this nine years ago when she started her blog, Kate on Conservation. Now her award winning blog highlights important conservation issues, individuals and organisations and tries
Have you ever considered doing a conservation science master’s course to kick-start your career in conservation? What would completing a masters course (degree) achieve? Is it right for you and would it lead to a conservation job? These are some of the topics covered in a wide-ranging discussion with Brendan Godley, Professor of Conservation Science
We’re often so tight on time and resources in the conservation sector that we don’t invest in one the most important steps in recruitment: writing a great conservation job advertisement. A job advert is a sales document, and its purpose is to attract attention to your role and organisation. If you want to attract the
In this episode we’re speaking to Andrew Lewin, who’s the founder of Speak Up For Blue, a marine ecologist and an Ocean-preneur. He also runs three podcasts of his own so we’ve got a real veteran on today. We talk about marine careers, what the different jobs in the marine environment are and how you
My Labrador can do “sit” and “salute” … and that’s about it, but there are some much better trained pups out there with well-respected jobs; those who act as seeing-eye dogs, hearing dogs, therapy dogs, avalanche rescue dogs, and those I want to talk about; conservation dogs. Conservation dogs are taking on increasingly vital roles
With the power to protect local species, control national deforestation, or guide sustainable development globally, environmental policy is one of the most influential fields a conservationist can pursue. Conservation Careers talks with Nick Phillips of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) about what it takes to work in policy and why it’s
“When enough people come together, then change will come and we can achieve almost anything. So instead of looking for hope – start creating it” – Greta Thunberg. In today’s world, the urgency for action is palpable. Biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution demand our attention, urging us to abandon the status quo. Yet, amidst
Tucked away in a remote corner of southwestern Uganda lies a hidden gem, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its exceptional biodiversity, it is home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. A forest oasis in the midst of one of Uganda’s poorest and most densely
Conservation biologist Joshua Elves-Powell and co-authors have recently released ground-breaking new work on the poorly known wildlife trade in badgers in South Korea. They concluded that increased monitoring of the trade and more targeted research would improve the availability of information and thus enhance the quality of future policy approaches. Moreover, the conservation risks of
Francisco Petrucci-Fonseca is a nature lover passionate about the Iberian wolf. He’s a Biologist and Professor at the University of Lisbon, Portugal. He’s also the co-founder and President of the Portuguese NGO, Grupo Lobo, working for 37 years on better protection and coexistence between wolves and humans. Francisco has dedicated his life to the wolves
As a young aspiring conservationist, I have so many questions about what it is like to work in the fascinating field of wildlife conservation. Is it hard to earn a full-time income? What about work/life balance? And what does it actually mean to be a conservationist? During my interview with Danielle Carnahan, a US-based elephant
Dr Nirmal Jivan Shah, Chief Executive of Nature Seychelles, explores the unhealthy relationship with nature that led to the COVID-19 health pandemic; it’s impacts on ecosystems, local economies and conservation; and new opportunities like sustainable tourism and changes in governance. Origin Story (Zoo: English = of animal; noses: Greek = disease) In 2006, in an
In this Love the Oceans podcast we’re talking to someone whose drive, passion and achievements in a short space of time have just blown me away. Francesca Trotman is the Managing Director and Founder of ‘Love the Oceans’, an organisation seeking to create a marine protected area off the coast of Mozambique. Fran first visited
In this podcast we’re speaking with Professor Ken Norris, Director of Science at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Ken leads the ZSL Institute of Zoology, the world’s only university in a zoo, and also oversees the vet teams who look after the welfare of animals at London and Whipsnade zoos. He’s a busy guy!
