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
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
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
Reshu Bashyal is a winner of the 2025 Whitley Awards and the Research and Programme Lead for Greenwood Nepal. Her journey into the world of conservation is a story that begins in a rural Nepalese village, deeply rooted in the natural world. It’s a path that has taken her from the local wisdom of her
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
Dr Maria Joana Ferreira da Silva grew up in Portugal, and later became a conservation genetics and primatology researcher in the African bush. In this interview, she shares her pathway and offers advice to anyone following in her footsteps. Initial inspiration It all began in Portugal in the 1990s when Dr Ferreira da Silva was
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
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
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.
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
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
What does it take to bridge the worlds of science, policy and industry to tackle one of the planet’s most urgent environmental threats? Meet Ginevra Oertel, a PhD candidate at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, whose research focuses on developing microplastic pollution prevention strategies in the maritime sector. Ginerva’s academic background spans an impressive
Dr David Shiffman has loved sharks since he was young, so he naturally gravitated towards studying them and became a marine conservation biologist. But he soon discovered that, in the conservation world, there is often a gap between what the research suggests we should do to help animals, versus what actually gets done. “I went
Alessandro Forti’s path to wildlife conservation was set at a young age. Alessandro’s parents would often take him to the Alps for long days hiking, climbing and spotting wildlife, and there he developed a profound connection with the natural world which left a lasting mark. Those early days in the mountains sparked his curiosity about
Megan Miller is a graduate student at Colorado State University Pueblo, in the United States and has been on the seasonal fieldwork circuit (jumping from short-term contract to seasonal role to volunteer experience and back again) for many years. As a passionate bird lover from a young age, Megan has pursued bird-related experiences. She has
From patrolling South Africa’s rugged plains as a ranger to going undercover in Russia’s remote forests to investigate tiger poaching and becoming a National Geographic Explorer, Dr Allison Skidmore has dedicated her life and career to investigating wildlife crime. Allison’s story is extraordinary and reveals a passion and perseverance for wildlife protection that has led
How can we restore biodiversity while balancing the needs of people and wildlife? And what can large carnivores teach us about coexistence and environmental harmony? Today’s guest is Jonny Hanson, environmental social scientist, conservationist, and author of Living with Lynx: Sharing Landscapes with Big Cats, Wolves, and Bears. Jonny brings a unique perspective to conservation,
Today’s guest is Romulus Whitaker, a renowned herpetologist and conservationist often referred to as the “Snake Man of India.” Romulus shares his lifelong passion for snakes, conservation and the incredible biodiversity of India’s rainforests. In this episode, we discuss what drew Romulus to snakes, especially the King Cobra, his experiences in the rainforest, and the
What drives someone to the most remote corners of the Earth in pursuit of wildlife conservation? For Dr Sandra Lai, it’s a profound dedication to understanding and protecting our planet’s most vulnerable species. In this article, we dive into Sandra’s remarkable career journey. Discover how Sandra’s unique experiences and insights can offer valuable lessons for
In the rugged highlands of Ethiopia, where the landscape meets the sky, a quiet but vital conservation battle unfolds. Amidst this breathtaking backdrop, Dr. Sandra Lai is at the forefront of preserving a species on the brink of extinction: the Ethiopian Wolf. In this exclusive interview, we delve into Sandra’s remarkable journey, her role as
Kayla Zoon is a wildlife biologist, conservation storyteller and career coach, based in South Africa. Initially as a conservation biologist, Kayla worked across several remote research stations, monitoring wildlife and educating students on how to get involved in wildlife conservation. Throughout her fieldwork, Kayla observed a disconnect between what conservation looked like on the ground
Professor Jane Hill, OBE (Order of the British Empire), is a Professor of Ecology at the University of York in England. She is President and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, a trustee of the South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership and, formerly, a trustee of the British Ecological Society. Her research primarily
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
Nadia Sherif is an early career conservationist from Alexandria, Egypt, working for Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) as a Conservation Officer. Having always been passionate about the wildlife that surrounded her in Egypt, Nadia knew from a young age she wanted to forge herself a career in conservation, an unheard of career option in Egypt at
“I love the water, a little bit of wind and clouds, so, it’s a good place for me to stay”, says Greilin Fallas Rodriguez, a proud Costa Rican biologist working in the mysterious Cloudbridge Reserve. She excitedly shares that she has found her slice of paradise, having grown up in the beautiful countryside of San
How do people and nature interact? How does nature benefit people? Which interactions have the greatest impacts, and how can research into these questions help tackle some of the biggest issues facing wildlife today? These are some of the questions which today’s guest has dedicated his career to tackling. Kevin Gaston is a Professor of
“I think everyone’s conservation career paths are very different.” Ross de Bruin works in large carnivore conservation as a Field Researcher for Panthera, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the world’s 40 species of wild cats. Prior to this, he worked for the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT), a South African based leader in African leopard
In the world of primate research, few scientists get the opportunity to research both Chimps and Bonobos (our least studied close relative) in the wild. Here researchers Miguel Adán Pascual and Daiane Galdino talk about their incredible field experiences in the African forests. They also discuss finding fieldwork opportunities together as a couple, as well
“You can’t care about what you don’t know about.” Ornithologist, environmentalist, diversity activist as well as an author, speaker and broadcaster Mya-Rose has certainly had an amazing career. Not only has she had many accomplishments, but she was by the age of 17 the youngest person in the world to see half of the world’s
Daniela Ventura is a Caribbean wildlife biologist and bird bander based in Havana, Cuba. Fascinated by nature from a young age, Daniela started studying biology at the University of Havana as soon as she finished high school. She continues to work there since her graduation as both a biology lecturer and bird research scientist. Daniela
