Conservation Careers Blogger Erin Williams is currently working as a volunteer Research Assistant with the Durham University Primate and Predator Project at Lajuma Research Centre in South Africa. The Principle Investigator, Dr Russell Hill is usually based at Durham University in the UK, but during a recent visit to the field site, she was able
Would you like to receive a grant to support your conservation projects as well as gain opportunities to build connections with peers, access expert mentorship and participate in training courses? The Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) – a 35 year-old capacity-building partnership between BirdLife International, Fauna & Flora International and the Wildlife Conservation Society – will
Did you know that Orangutans are the most intelligent beings on the planet after humans? Perfectly adapted to their environment, they pass on their knowledge and culture through each generation, in order to help future generations to thrive. As self-aware being – as intelligent as a six-year-old child – their drive to extinction is an
Dr. Anne Savage didn’t plan to spend 40 years studying and trying to save the Cotton-top Tamarin in Colombia. After studying cotton-tops as a graduate student, she found that mobilizing communities was the only way to reverse forces leading to extinction and she helped found Proyecto Titi, a non-profit now run by Colombians. Here she
Did you know that about 90% of conservation job applications are of ‘poor quality’, and that nearly 85% of conservationists are burnt-out from applying to conservation jobs unsuccessfully? Many barriers can stop you from landing a conservation job – but sometimes the biggest barriers are your own assumptions. Here are the 10 biggest mistakes people
Today we’re speaking to Anthony Ochieng, or Tony Wild as he is often known. Tony is a Kenyan-born wildlife ecologist, conservation photographer, traveller, educator and explorer. He is a busy man! I’ve been following Tony’s work for the past three years and his photography of conservation projects is truly inspiring. He has quickly and rightly
David Fernandez is a behavioural ecologist conservation biologist. Behavioural ecologists play an important role in conservation. Behaviour links organisms and the environment and is a fundamental aspect of animal life. Changes to the environment can affect animal behaviour. For instance, the food available in degraded and pristine ecosystems might differ, which could in turn affect
Bristol Zoological Society (BZS) uses scientific research to conduct and support conservation efforts in five continents across the globe. With high emphasis on the importance of implementing sustainable solutions to promote species and ecosystem survival. Dr Grainne McCabe is at the head of the amazing conservation projects carried out by BZS. This interview provides a
The Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP) and their Indonesian counterpart, Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia (KKI), work collaboratively to protect the parrots of Indonesia. Established in 2001 by Dr Stewart Metz and originally known as Project Bird Watch, the organisation focuses efforts on conservation and education. Conservation efforts take many forms, from Critically Endangered species protection programmes to rescue, rehabilitation and release (via Indonesian-based centre, Kembalis Bebas), to community awareness
Daniel Quilter fell in love with Malaysia, its wildlife and people during a field trip while at University. He quickly returned and in many ways never looked back. Since 2005, has been setting up eco enterprises which are businesses which help people and the planet. During this podcast we talk about Fuze Ecoteer, a Malaysian based
Victoria Gehrke’s career has taken her half way across the world as Programme Director at the Gunung Palung Orangutan Project deep in the forests of Indonesian Borneo. However, travelling for the job is not something uncommon for Victoria. Previously she worked on lemur conservation research in Madagascar, coral reef restoration in Honduras, and as a
Oana wildlife reserve in the deep south of Namibia is 45,000 hectares of breath-taking mountainous semi-desert. Home to a previously unknown population of leopards, the reserve encompasses 50km of the lush Orange River, which is a wildlife refuge amid the extensive hues of orange and red rocky and sandy plains. For the past three and
Sara Fee is General Manager of The Fernan-Vaz Gorilla Project, a multi-faceted conservation NGO based in a remote region of Gabon, Central Africa. Having spent much of her career in zoos, Sara talks about her transition into the field and the important role zoos played in her conservation journey. Describe your current role? “My role
Ashley Vosper is an experienced conservation field scientist who uses his skills to increase our knowledge and understanding of the distribution of species, how many there are and what threats they face. He then creates action plans that can help protect them. He has worked extensively in the Congo, as well as Afghanistan, and is
Born Free is delighted to announce that SNARED, a new radio drama about an age-old conflict – the poaching of Africa’s wildlife – will premier in a synchronised broadcast on Saturday 10th November 2018. Taking place on the 23rd anniversary of Nigerian writer, television producer and environmental activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa’s execution, the radio play will be aired
Niall McCann has had a whirlwind of a career. When researching his background prior to our interview, there were so many different aspects to consider that I could have chatted with him for hours! He’s been on multiple expeditions, completed a PhD, filmed documentaries, and even broken his back whilst speed flying; there’s no denying
Do you have an active interest in conservation? The Endangered Species Recovery (ESR) Course may help you | 24 July – 4 August 2017 https://www.durrell.org/training/courses/endangered-species-recovery/ The Endangered Species Recovery (ESR) course is a two week introduction to the issues and practical skills involved in saving threatened species from extinction. You will develop a critical understanding of
As we approach the end of 2016, let us have some time to reflect on some of the most brilliant, awe-inspiring and dam right visually eclectic cult-conservation films, that have made it to our screens over the past two years. I won’t go into too much detail, and anyway the premise is often the same
If you’re anything like me, you fell in love with nature and the basics of biology before you decided to work in conservation. The elegance of evolution and the fascinating diversity of animal species and animal behaviors had you hooked – and then you learned what humans have done to the natural world and decided
This week Conservation Careers Blogger Emma Ackerley shares her favourite conservation books with us. So if you’re looking for some career inspiration, heading out on fieldwork and in need of some Kindle downloads, or just lazing on the beach … here’s a few ideas for you. Reading a book written by active wildlife conservation practitioners has had
I first met wildlife artist Martin Aveling at the beginning of 2015 when I was working in South Africa. Anyone with this much talent coupled with a commitment to mitigating the plight of endangered species, is someone you need to know about in the conservation world. Martin grew up in the savannah of Central and East
One of the best ways to start a career in conservation – or just to find out if you really want to pursue a career in this sector – is to volunteer on one of the many interesting projects worldwide. How would you know which one to choose? Here are 8 key considerations… 1)
Conservation Careers Blogger Marta Cálix had the pleasure of interviewing Francis Cabana, who is a PhD student researching the nutritional requirements of slow lorises as part of the Little Fireface Project near Jakarta. Francis is also the Research Coordinator for the project and he´ll be staying there for the next 14 months. In this interview he
How I started in conservation communications Lucy McRobert is a talented conservation communicator, and Creative Director of a network of young people in the UK looking to start their professional careers in conservation. Here she tells conservation careers her story so far, and provides advice which others can follow… Why do you work in conservation?
Ben Garrod is an evolutionary biologist with a huge interest in primatology and bones! He has presented his first 6 part television series ‘Secret of Bones’ on BBC4, and has around 6 months left before he finishes his PhD in primate evolutionary biology at University College London. He is also a part-time lecturer at Anglia
When you hear the word ‘primatology,’ there’s a good chance you’re picturing either Jane Goodall nose-to-nose with a chimp, or Sir David Attenborough huddled amongst mountain gorillas in Rwanda. But beneath its romantic portrayal is a field so challenging, so diverse and so close to our own hearts (and DNA) that it couldn’t possibly be
In this second installment of interviews with three primatologists, Kaitlin Wellens, Dr Kathryn Shutt and Dr Alejandro Estrada explain what it takes to be a primatologist, how to find opportunities and why more people are needed in this challenging field. When people think about primatology, what is most often misunderstood? Kaitlin: As with any exotic
The Bare Bones of Conservation with Ben Garrod Ben Garrod is an evolutionary biologist with a huge interest in primatology and bones! He has presented his first 6 part television series ‘Secret of Bones’ on BBC4, and has around 6 months left before he finishes his PhD in primate evolutionary biology at University College London.
The 47 Wildlife Trusts are the UK’s largest people-powered environmental organisation, working for nature’s recovery on land and at sea. The organisation manages some 95,000ha of British land across the the UK, the Isle of Man and Alderney. They run over 11,000 events annually, helping more than 380,000 people connect with nature in their local
