Interviews Early Years December 18, 2025 7 min read

Attenborough’s Animals: Ryan Eddowes’ Journey to Honour a Legacy and Spotlight Conservation Accessibility

In his new documentary project, Attenborough’s Animals: An Accessible Adventure, Ryan Eddowes is on a mission to search the globe for the over 40 lifeforms named in honour of Sir David Attenborough. As Ryan was born with bilateral clubfoot (talipes) and recently recovered from a below-knee amputation, his project is unique in that it not

Katie Cohan
Interviews Early Years December 18, 2025 8 min read

Urban roots, wild futures: inspiring the next generation of conservationists

Mya Bambrick is a rising force in UK conservation – an award-winning wildlife conservationist, filmmaker and writer, who’s turning heads and winning hearts. At just 23, she’s out in the field working for the Birds of Poole Harbour charity in the UK, leading wildlife experiences, school’s education programmes and public events. Her aim? To spark

Julie Singleton
Interviews Early Years December 2, 2025 8 min read

From classroom to conservation: How students are redefining stewardship

Who is Tintswalo Mukhari? She’s not a scientist or politician; she’s a high school student from St Catherine’s Convent in South Africa who is proving that youth can drive real environmental change. What is she doing? Together with her co-captain, Lesedi Kgarimetsa, Tintswalo leads the True Blue Recycling Club, a school-based initiative turning everyday waste

Stephanie Nicolaides
Interviews Communicator November 18, 2025 10 min read

Sharks, stories and stewardship: How one communicator found her calling beneath the surface

What does it mean to speak for the ocean? For Esther Jacobs, a conservation storyteller, mother and campaigner whose journey spans from the cold coasts of Scotland to the vibrant marine ecosystems of South Africa, it means combining emotion with science, storytelling with advocacy, and turning life’s hardest challenges into a voice for change. Esther’s

Stephanie Nicolaides
Interviews Scientist November 11, 2025 8 min read

Beyond science: Traits that drive success in marine conservation

Protecting the planet requires more than data and fieldwork – it’s resilience, curiosity and connection with local communities that truly make the difference. Marine biologist Alex O’Brien shares how he has cultivated these qualities throughout his career in conservation. Alex stands out most clearly for his unwavering sense of purpose: few children who dream of

Anna Titova
Interviews Communicator November 4, 2025 7 min read

See. Feel. Act. Why storytelling is the new science of conservation

What happens when a biologist swaps the microscope for a camera, and discovers that storytelling can be just as powerful as science? From Arctic expeditions to coral reefs, from UNESCO heritage sites to naval and research vessels, Casper Tybjerg’s journey has spanned over two decades and 64 countries, a lifetime dedicated to showing the world

Stephanie Nicolaides
Interviews Organisational Manager October 21, 2025 8 min read

Guardians of the Javan gibbon: The team protecting an Endangered primate

Rahayu Oktaviani, an Indonesian primate conservationist, has dedicated her career to protecting the Javan gibbon, an elusive primate found in Java, Indonesia. Seeking adventure, she studied Forest Resource Conservation and Ecotourism at university and worked part time with NGOs (non-governmental organisations). Today, Rahayu runs KIARA (Yayasan Konservasi Ekosistem Alam Nusantara), which she created to ensure

Emily Pickett
Interviews Scientist October 2, 2025 9 min read

Field notes and flight paths: A career in conservation research

Long before fieldwork and research papers, Dr Jamie McKaughan was the kind of child who brought home worms as gifts and tracked frogs through damp grass with his dad. “I was wildlife-obsessed,” he laughs. “Peregrines were my first obsession -everything fast, I loved. Then came cheetahs, then tigers… I just seemed to go through phases

Julie Singleton
Interviews Communicator September 30, 2025 9 min read

Communicating conservation with designer, writer and illustrator Helen Walsh

Meet Helen Walsh, a conservationist who’s bridging the power between science and communication. As one of the first graduates of a unique and innovative Masters in Biological Photography and Imaging at the University of Nottingham (UK), she has spent her career cultivating the power of storytelling to drive ecological understanding and conservation efforts. With a

Andrew Monks
Interviews Land Manager September 23, 2025 9 min read

Sting in the shadows: Fighting wildlife crime in the heart of Africa

The forest near the Congolese border was thick with tension. The mission: intercept the illicit cargo, dismantle the syndicate and avoid casualties. This kind of covert “sting”, an undercover operation designed to catch criminals in the act, was familiar territory for Grevis Mutendi. In a remote clearing, long exploited as a smuggling corridor, half a

Stephanie Nicolaides
Animal Welfare Podcasts September 18, 2025 44 min read

Podcast | Crocodile Conservation with Dr Marisa Tellez

Dr Marisa Tellez knew from a young age that she was destined to work with the world’s apex predators—particularly crocodiles. While her peers played with dolls, she immersed herself in books, documentaries, and wildlife centres, determined to one day turn her fascination into action. In this episode, we sit down with Dr Tellez, Executive Director

Dr Nick Askew
Animal Welfare Podcasts September 15, 2025 7 min read

Podcast | Diving deeper: Cristina Zenato on sharks, conservation & purpose

What happens when you stop fearing sharks — and start listening to them? In this inspiring episode, we dive into the extraordinary world of Cristina Zenato – a trailblazing shark behaviourist, cave explorer, and professional diver who has spent over three decades in the Bahamas. As Founder of the non-profit People of the Water, Cristina has

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Land Manager September 9, 2025 10 min read

Turning tactical expertise into wildlife crime prevention: Lessons and advice

What happens when a former military intelligence officer trades the battlefield for the bushveld? Meet Leon Rossouw, a South African investigator who has transformed decades of tactical expertise into a powerful weapon against wildlife crime. From the plains of Southern Africa to the international networks trafficking endangered species, Leon has been at the frontlines where

Stephanie Nicolaides

From ants to elephants: Forgive Maluleke’s mission to protect nature from the ground up

Forgive Maluleke is a nature conservationist working for the South African National Defence Force. He roams the bush every day, protecting the plants and animals that live there. But he doesn’t stop there. During his weekends, he runs his own organisation called the Nhlalala Nature Conservation Project. Taking conservation into his own hands and with

Emily Pickett
Interviews Land Manager August 19, 2025 8 min read

Belonging to the bush: A South African conservation story

“Conservation is more like a passion than a career.”      Forgive Maluleke spends weekdays as a nature conservationist with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), and weekends running his own organisation – the Nhlalala Nature Conservation Project (NNCP). He walks miles through the South African bush, not just to protect nature, but to understand it.

Emily Pickett
Interviews Land Manager August 12, 2025 7 min read

We are all conservationists: Finding inspiration on Paarl Mountain with Lindsay Lewis

South Africa’s Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve is full of inspiration, from the diversity of the fynbos ecosystem, to the wild bird calls, to the dramatic views of the surrounding community. As Drakenstein Municipality’s nature conservationist stationed at Paarl Mountain, Lindsay Lewis deeply understands the importance of preserving these natural spaces. He is also passionate about

Katie Cohan
Scientist Interviews August 5, 2025 4 min read

Home is where the heart is – Rewilding the Mira with Flora Hentz

Flora’s journey to a career with Mossy Earth (an organisation dedicated to restoring wild ecosystems and biodiversity through transparent, high-impact rewilding and reforestation projects) reads like a conservationist’s fairy tale. Born in Austria, she moved to Portugal as a young child, growing up along the banks of the Mira Basin (a biodiversity hotspot encompassing diverse

Sarah Donaldson
Interviews Scientist July 29, 2025 8 min read

How can oceanography and data science save marine wildlife?

When Dr. Iury Simoes-Sousa, Computational Physical Oceanographer and Postdoctoral Investigator at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, started his career as an oceanographer and data scientist, he would never have expected that a manatee named Tico would introduce a new meaning to his research and professional career. Born and raised in Fortaleza, Brazil, Iury was surrounded by

Giuliana Vomero
Interviews Land Manager July 24, 2025 11 min read

Do you have what it takes to be a wildlife crimefighter?

What does it take to bring down an international wildlife trafficking ring? For Tim Santel, the answer lies in decades of experience, a refusal to play it safe and a belief that bold investigations can change the world. As a kid growing up in the rural Midwest, USA, Tim couldn’t have predicted that one day

Stephanie Nicolaides
Interviews Scientist July 22, 2025 6 min read

Roots and research: From plants to primates in conservation science

As a kid growing up in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, USA, Dr Cynthia Frasier didn’t picture herself working in conservation. In fact, she wasn’t sure she even wanted to go to college. But now, as a Research Scientist at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, she’s spent years helping protect Madagascar’s lemurs and

Molly Schools
Scientist Ultimate Guides July 11, 2025 1 min read

What is a GIS Analyst?

Are you fascinated by maps, data and the power of technology to protect the natural world Then becoming a GIS Analyst might be the career for you. Check out this Ultimate Guide to becoming a GIS Analyst.

Conservation Careers
Interviews Scientist July 8, 2025 8 min read

A creative leap: From fine art to ocean research

From beginning with tools such as brushes and paint to now navigating across the Atlantic aboard a research vessel, Dr Philippa Rickard’s journey from fine art to marine biogeochemistry is as fluid and captivating as the waters she studies. Now she’s a postdoctoral research conducting the ocean’s crucial surface microlayer, its importance for air-sea gas

Andrew Monks
Interviews Scientist June 26, 2025 5 min read

Beneath the surface: What it really means to be a marine biologist

In just about every kindergarten or preschool class, half the kids say they want to be a marine biologist. Were you one of them? As we grow up, that number shrinks and only a few adults actually get to live out that childhood dream. Maybe that is because becoming a marine biologist actually means becoming

Molly Schools
Podcasts Senior Level June 24, 2025 44 min read

Podcast | Three Decades of Nature Recovery with Craig Ralston | Senior Reserve Manager, Natural England

What can three decades in one wild place teach us about conservation? In this episode, we sit down with Craig Ralston – Natural England Senior Reserve Manager at Yorkshire’s Lower Derwent Valley National Nature Reserve – to explore his remarkable 30-year journey of restoring landscapes, inspiring communities, and navigating change. Craig shares his reflections on the

Dr Nick Askew