Interviews Senior Level September 4, 2019 4 min read

Ensuring Animals Have Lives Worth Living

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.

Sarah Blake
Podcasts Senior Level September 4, 2019 29 min read

Podcast: Mark Anderson | BirdLife South Africa

With over 800 species of birds in South Africa and over 100 of them threatened, where do you start with trying to conserve them? Growing up in South Africa, Mark Anderson was taken out into the bush for days on end by his grandfather and from an early age he knew that he wanted to

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level May 2, 2019 5 min read

Volunteer to Conservation Manager with Zoo Keeper Sara Fee

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

Patrick Pester
Podcasts Senior Level April 29, 2019 30 min read

Podcast: Dominic Jermey OBE | ZSL

Are you working in something totally unrelated to conservation and dreaming of switching into a career helping wildlife to flourish? Well that’s exactly what today’s guest has done successfully, and right in at the top. Dominic Jermey OBE worked as a senior British diplomat for over 20 years in countries such as East Timor and

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Mid Career March 8, 2019 7 min read

The secret to getting a conservation career abroad | Francesca Cooke

A big appeal of conservation work is the opportunity to travel. But, increasingly, countries are favouring to hire internally. Obviously, this approach is commendable, as governments understand the importance of community buy-in. It has, however, meant those who want to work in these countries find it tougher to gain access and employment. Yet, you needn’t give-up

Kathleen Retourne
Podcasts Senior Level January 10, 2019 45 min read

Podcast: Dr Mike Clarke | RSPB

In this podcast episode we’re speaking to Dr Mike Clarke, Chief Executive of the RSPB. An organisation with over 1.2 million members, 2,000 staff and 13,500 volunteers, the RSPB is a Goliath in the conservation industry and needs no introduction. Mike became a member of the RSPB at age 12 and has worked professionally for them

Dr Nick Askew
Podcasts Senior Level December 4, 2018 30 min read

Podcast: Steve Gwenin | GVI

If you’re looking for hands-on conservation experience but don’t know where to start or are feeling overwhelmed by choice; perhaps you’re mid-career looking to take a break from the grind and get back to nature whilst also exploring new career paths. Joining us this week to discuss these matters and more is Steve Gwenin, Chief

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level November 21, 2018 8 min read

How to be an Effective Ecologist | Neil Middleton

Neil Middleton is the author of  the ‘The Effective Ecologist’ which covers the stuff that no-one told you about at university – how to develop your office-related and business skills to succeed in your career as a professional ecologist. An effective ecologist is someone who … Behaves professionally and fully understands how to operate with positive

Valentina Iesari
Interviews Senior Level November 21, 2018 7 min read

A look into Ecology Careers | Neil Middleton

“My most helpful advice for people looking at ecology careers would be: to reach for your goals. Be determined, be consistent, do not other people tell you that something is not possible. But realistically, you need to work very hard at the right things in order to achieve at a high level”, said Neil Middleton

Valentina Iesari
Interviews Senior Level October 29, 2018 7 min read

Ian Drysdale | Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative

The Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative encourages dialogue and collaboration to strengthen efforts to protect the Mesoamerican Reef. Ian Drysdale is the Honduras Coordinator of the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, responsible for data collection and training, as well as partner relations, media and outreach efforts in Honduras. In this interview, Ian talks about

Rachel Gunn
Interviews Senior Level June 4, 2018 8 min read

Dr Kerry Kriger | Sweeping in to Save The Frogs

Dr Kerry Kriger is the Founder and Executive Director of Save The Frogs. This USA based charity is on a mission to protect amphibian populations and promote a society that respects and appreciates nature and wildlife. For the last 10 years, their staff and volunteers have created over 2000 educational programs in 57 countries. They

Hiral Naik
Interviews Senior Level March 15, 2018 5 min read

John Burton – A lifetime working in conservation

Founder of the World Land Trust, a charity which has been running for nearly 30 years; more than a decade as Chief Executive of Fauna & Flora International; and an experienced natural history writer and editor, John has spent his whole life immersed in the natural world and conservation. I spoke to him about his

Alice Johnson
Interviews Senior Level March 6, 2018 5 min read

Grant Applications, and Tigers, and Bears

Oh My! Advice from Panthera’s Dr Wai-Ming Wong on producing a strong grant application. If you love your cats big (and small) then you’ll likely have heard of Panthera, an organization dedicated to the conservation of wild cats of the world. Panthera aims to secure a future for these majestic animals through scientific research and

Sophie May Watts
Interviews Senior Level January 25, 2018 7 min read

Corporate to conservation, how business know-how can land you your dream job: An interview with African Impact’s Business Manger Stuart Isham Fairbairns

In theory, the cut and thrust of the corporate world is a far cry from the ideal of the conservation industry. But, conservation is a business, and the skills that make a multi-national corporate thrive, can be utilised to boost conservation projects, too. Prior to 2014, Stuart Isham Fairbairns, the Kruger Business Manager for African

Kathleen Retourne
Interviews Senior Level September 20, 2017 4 min read

What’s it like to work for WWF? (and how to get a job with them!)

WWF have 58 offices around the globe and around 6,203 staff. Mary Ellen Swenson is a Human Resources Coordinator at WWF and is based at the headquarters in Gland, Switzerland. Her role involves a lot of work in social media, promoting vacancies, shortlisting and doing interviewing. In an interview with Conservation Careers she describes what

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level August 29, 2017 6 min read

Volunteering forced me to re-evaluate my life: An interview with Wild Tomorrow Fund Executive Director John Steward

It was only supposed to be a month-long vacation but, for Wild Tomorrow Fund Founder and Executive Director, John Steward, a volunteer placement with Wildlife ACT in South Africa resulted in a complete re-evaluation and life overhaul. After witnessing the plight of African wildlife due to dwindling habitat and illegal poaching, Steward walked away from

Kathleen Retourne
Interviews Senior Level July 6, 2017 6 min read

Conversation sparks conservation: an interview with Blue Ventures’ Chief Executive, Alasdair Harris

It is no coincidence that conservation and conversation are anagrams. In our age of insta-information and digital decisions, it’s easy to mistake boardrooms and computer screens for the birthplaces of conservation projects. But spend 30 minutes speaking with Dr Alasdair Harris, Chief Executive of multi-award winning NGO Blue Ventures, and he’ll quickly remind you that

Kristi Foster
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 Senior Level February 22, 2017 10 min read

Going it alone – Setting up Thailand Elephants

Returning home in late 2014 after managing an Elephant Reintroduction Volunteer Programme for two years in a Karen hill tribe village in Northern Thailand, Gemma Annan and fellow intern Jade Clayson decided more needed to be done to educate tourists regarding captive elephant welfare in Thailand. Putting a team together comprising of childhood friend Claire

James Walker
Interviews Senior Level October 15, 2016 13 min read

What’s involved in being a conservation director for Fauna and Flora International?

Paul Hotham has over 25 years of conservation experience including work in the UK National Parks and voluntary sector and international conservation NGOs. His MSc thesis was undertaken in the Amboseli and Kilimanjaro National Parks on transboundary cooperation between protected areas. Paul has extensive experience in species conservation, protected area management and conservation capacity building.

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level May 31, 2016 7 min read

Keeping Tasmania’s Rich Biodiversity Alive: Jane Hutchinson

Tasmania is the southern-most part of Australia, an island state that is known for its exquisite natural landscapes and unique fauna. However, it’s future lies in the hands of conservationists and groups like the Tasmanian Land Conservancy, which protects and improves important areas of land, conducts biological research and assists in a huge variety of

olivia_22_6@hotmail.com' Olivia Congdon
Interviews Senior Level March 10, 2016 7 min read

Conservation Physiology and Black Rhinos – How Faeces Are Helping Conserve an Iconic Species

Conservation physiology, according to Dr. Rachel Santymire, is, “really about capturing how wildlife is interacting with its environment…[and] using the animal’s physiology to understand how they are interacting with their environment to better conserve them.” Dr. Rachel Santymire is now the Director of the Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology at Lincoln Park Zoo in

Conservation Careers
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 1 min read

What’s it like to work for Manx BirdLife?

The Road Leading to Manx BirdLife – an interview with CEO Dora Querido James Walker is currently employed as a summer bird surveyor for Manx BirdLife, so for his first assignment as a Conservation Careers Blogger he decided to interview their new CEO Dora Querido. Dora originally hails from Portugal and has worked on conservation projects in several

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

What’s it like to work for Fauna and Flora International?

What’s involved in being a conservation director for Fauna and Flora International? Paul Hotham has over 25 years of conservation experience including work in the UK National Parks and voluntary sector and international conservation NGOs. His MSc thesis was undertaken in the Amboseli and Kilimanjaro National Parks on transboundary cooperation between protected areas. Paul has

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 5 min read

Building Noah´s Arks for Panama´s Amphibians with Heidi Ross Griffith

The chytrid fungus is a deadly pathogen that is wiping out amphibian populations worldwide, and threatening many species in Panama with extinction. The El Valle de Anton Conservation Center (EVACC) is part of the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation (PARC) Project, and their mission is to save these frogs. The project collects amphibians from the

Marta Cálix
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 6 min read

Volunteering in Seychelles as part of a Zoology degree

I recently interviewed Adrian Skerrett, Chairman of the Island Conservation Society (ICS) in Seychelles, and discussed the experience that volunteers can gain to help launch their careers. When I worked with ICS we organised for two zoology undergraduates from the University of Manchester to spend one year work experience placements with us. The university offers

Adam Moolna
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 7 min read

Biodiversity conservation gets a business edge

Mining and energy operations have some of the most transformative impacts on the planet, with the power to strip landscapes, alter ecosystems and forever change societies. In this interview, Fauna & Flora International’s Business & Biodiversity Director, Pippa Howard, explains how working with business can create large-scale conservation benefits and how to join this emerging

Kristi Foster