Interviews Mid Career September 7, 2018 4 min read

Angie Willemse | Boots on the Ground in South Africa

Angie Willemse from Boots on the Ground arrived in South Africa four years ago to continue her training in wildlife and travel photography. She now lives near Kruger National Park and has looked extinction in the eye, travelled through warzones in Mali and met the gorillas of Rwanda. While travelling through southern Africa, Angie filmed

Catherine Hunter
Interviews Senior Level September 2, 2018 5 min read

Karen Mitchell | Conservation Communications and Fundraising

Karen Mitchell is the Relationships Manager for Trees for Life, a re-wilding charity based in Scotland. She is passionate about conservation communications and fundraising; getting the message out and raising support. She told Conservation Careers how to get your foot in the door, and key ways to make an impact… Starting out in conservation communications

Kathleen Retourne

Shannon Wild | Wildlife Photographer

Shannon Wild is an Australian wildlife photographer and passionate conservationist. She has worked all over the World, capturing the beauty and diversity of wildlife on Earth. In the interview below I ask for her advice and knowledge on the industry… What is your current job title/role?  I am a wildlife photographer and cinematographer.  How did you

Demi McCollum
Interviews Communicator July 3, 2018 12 min read

James Lowen | Wildlife Photographer, Author & Travel Guide

I spoke with James Lowen. Nature Lover, Author, Wildlife Photographer, Travel Guide amongst other things. I asked him about his love of nature and where it all began, his writing and photography and what advice he could give people… What first got you interested in nature and did you consider when you were younger that

Stephen Thompson
Interviews Senior Level June 28, 2018 6 min read

Claire Thompson | Mindfulness and the Natural World

Claire Thompson is author of ‘Mindfulness and the Natural World’ and has dedicated her career to the protection of our natural world. She has worked World Land Trust and BirdLife International. Here she speaks to Conservation Careers about her career and the importance of reconnecting to the natural world through mindfulness, meditation, yoga and Buddhism… Why do you

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Mid Career May 28, 2018 4 min read

Sarah Morgan | Eco educator and entrepreneur

Sarah Morgan studied ecology at Cardiff University, now she is a free-lance science communicator running her own business; Eco-explore education. Her business provides science workshops to schools, community groups and for events, specialising in making science accessible for children with additional needs. I spoke to her about her experiences and what it’s like to be

Catherine Hunter
Interviews Communicator May 8, 2018 6 min read

Conservation drones with Indlovu Aerial Trust’s Quin Clark

Never underestimate the impact of the 2 am wake-up call. For, in the dead of night, when there are no distractions, re-evaluations take place. In 2015, Quin Clark, then a technical programme manager in the financial sector, woke one morning and decided he did not want to be an armchair conservationist anymore. Sickened by the continued onslaught

Kathleen Retourne
Interviews Senior Level March 21, 2018 9 min read

Communicating the wonders of the natural world with Stephen Moss

“My passion is to communicate the wonders of the natural world to the widest possible audience”, said Stephen Moss, one of Britain’s leading nature writers, broadcasters and TV producers. He shares my passion of communicating the wonders of the natural world to people of any age wherever they might be. I talked to Stephen and asked

Stephen Thompson
Senior Level Communicator March 7, 2018 5 min read

Communication and Conservation: an interview with Lexie Beach, Communication Coordinator of Sea Turtle Conservancy

Lexie Beach is the Communication Coordinator with Sea Turtle Conservancy, the world’s oldest sea turtle research and conservation group. For nearly 60 years, Sea Turtle Conservancy has worked to protect and conserve sea turtles and their habitats from extinction through research, education, and advocacy. Conservation Careers chats with Lexie about her role with Sea Turtle

Amber Zinser
Mid Career Communicator December 12, 2017 4 min read

Lucy McRobert: How I started in conservation communications

Lucy McRobert is a talented conservation communicator, and ex-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? Most people say that they loved

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Mid Career December 5, 2017 6 min read

How to… Get a job in Conservation (and love your work)

James Borrell is a writer, speaker and scientist, with a passion for fieldwork and expeditions. He is currently based in London, whilst studying rare species in the Scottish Highlands and promoting conservation. Read his fabulous advice on how to get a job in conservation. **Check out our Ultimate Guide for Conservation Job Seekers here ->

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Mid Career November 6, 2017 7 min read

Want to be a conservation journalist? Find a niche or two, don’t be afraid to make a stand and strap yourself in – it’s going to be bumpy ride: An interview with conservation journalist Jeremy Hance

Five years ago, conservation journalist Jeremy Hance found himself on a research project in the Dominican Republic. He was deep inside a forest and night had fallen. In his hand was a bag which contained a solenodon – a venomous shrew-like mammal, which had been caught to be collared for a research study. Typically, this

Kathleen Retourne
Interviews Senior Level October 23, 2017 8 min read

A life behind the lens

Dr Paul Stewart, the cameraman behind Planet Earth II’s BAFTA winning snake-iguana sequence, takes a break from filming his latest project in the Peruvian Amazon to share advice and stories from a thirty-year career in wildlife filmmaking. “I like Cinematographer because it sounds way more impressive” Paul jokes as we sit down at our slightly

Lindsay O'Brien
Interviews Senior Level February 28, 2017 10 min read

The International League of Conservation Photographers with Alexandra Garcia

Alexandra Garcia is the Executive Director of the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP), a non-profit organization that includes 100+ of the best professional nature and wildlife photographers in the world (Fellows) who are fully dedicated to using their imagery to promote earth friendly outcomes. Here she talks about her career and the amazing work of

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Early Years January 17, 2017 5 min read

Naturewatch – a student-led online wildlife series

This week we spoke to Peter Cooper – a 22 year old postgraduate studying MSc Biodiversity & Conservation at the University of Exeter Penryn Campus – about the new online wildlife series Naturewatch. Peter is script editor on Naturewatch and committee member for the UK youth nature network, ‘A Focus on Nature’. He’s also life-long

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level December 11, 2016 4 min read

What’s it like to be an assignment photographer?

Jason Houston is an assignment photographer with over 20 years’ experience working around the world producing stories that matter for conservation. Jason travels fast, light, and unobtrusively to capture authentic moments that will powerfully and effectively tell a story. Here Jason provides an insight into the highs and lows of his chosen career. How would

Dr Nick Askew

Fighting for birds with Dr Mark Avery

Mark is the former RSPB Conservation Director and has been called Britain’s premier wildlife blogger. He worked for the RSPB for 25 years – and spent 13 years as their Conservation Director. Mark’s knowledge about nature conservation in the UK is without par, and he cares deeply about the sustainability of wildlife in the modern world. The

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Communicator May 19, 2016 7 min read

Telling the ocean’s stories

Helen Scales is a marine biologist, writer, broadcaster, explorer and all round polymath. Two of her greatest passions are the oceans and storytelling. Her love of the sea and academic background, and a flair for narrative, have led to several books, the most recent of which, Spirals in Time, was published last year. She also

Jim Pettiward
Interviews Communicator December 31, 2015 8 min read

Writing about wildlife: becoming a communications officer in conservation

My last interview was with Kathryn Phillips from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust in north-west England. I run the communications campaign for Kathryn’s Forest Schools project and that interview is part of the work that goes into raising the Trust’s profile, publicising its activities, and strengthening the case for conservation. Writing articles, film-making, and wider communications

Adam Moolna
Interviews Mid Career December 31, 2015 4 min read

How to work for the Cambridge Conservation Initiative?

Elizabeth Allen is the Collaborations and Communications Manager for The Cambridge Conservation Initiative. CCI is a unique collaboration between the University of Cambridge and leading Internationally-focussed biodiversity conservation organisations clustered in and around Cambridge, UK. It represents a critical mass of expertise — on a scale unparalleled anywhere in the world — at the interface of

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 8 min read

Conservation Photojournalism and It’s Important for the Future of Conservation

I recently met Neil Aldridge under unforeseen circumstances, but the passion, the drive and the commitment that pours out of Neil when he talks about conservation issues is inspirational. Neil spent much of his early career volunteering and working with conservation organisations such as The Wildlife Trust, The Galapagos Conservation Trust and Natural England. However

Emma Ackerley
Interviews Mid Career December 31, 2015 6 min read

Being a tropical Field Biologist and wildlife photographer with Andrew Snyder

Andrew Snyder is a conservationist and photographer currently working on his PhD in Biology in the U.S. He has been doing field work in tropical rainforests for several years, focusing on amphibians and reptiles, and is involved with Operation Wallacea, a conservation research organization that gives young people the opportunity to do volunteering in tropical

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 8 min read

Kike Calvo: Using wildlife photojournalism to educate and inspire

Spanish native Kike Calvo, National Geographic Expeditions photography expert, award-winning photographer and journalist, is now based in New York and represented by National Geographic Creative. Having travelled to over 95 countries to compile a portfolio of environmental and cultural documentary photos, in addition to pioneering the use of small manned aerial systems in photography, it

Kaitlin Flood
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 6 min read

Are Drones the Future of Conservation?

From Scuba Diver to Drone Operator with Steve Roest. Steve has over 20 years of experience in conservation and is one of the co-founders of Shadowview Foundation, a company specializing in UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) – or drones – and using them for conservation. He is also an UAV Operator and has been involved in projects

Marta Cálix
Interviews Celebrating Diversity in Conservation December 31, 2015 8 min read

David Cottridge: The life of a wildlife photographer

Internationally renowned wildlife photographer David Cottridge  has travelled the world, photographed most of Europe’s bird species and worked with the likes of Bill Oddie, Nick Baker and Chris Packham. He tells Conservation Careers Blogger Charlotte Rixon why wildlife photography matters and how to follow in his footsteps. How did you get started as a wildlife photographer?

Charlotte Rixon
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 1 min read

What’s it like to work for The BBC?

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. 

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 1 min read

What’s it like to work for The Shadowview Foundation?

Are Drones the Future of Conservation? From Scuba Diver to Drone Operator with Steve Roest. Steve has over 20 years of experience in conservation and is one of the co-founders of Shadowview Foundation, a company specializing in UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) – or drones – and using them for conservation. He is also an UAV Operator

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 1 min read

What’s it like to work for The University of Cambridge?

What’s it like to work at the World Conservation Monitoring Centre? Emily worked as Assistant Programme Officer at The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. UNEP-WCMC is the United Nations Environment Programme’s specialist biodiversity assessment arm. They provide authoritative information about biodiversity and ecosystem services in a manner that is useful to decision-makers who are driving

Dr Nick Askew