Since a young age Guido Leurs has been fascinated by wildlife. At first, he was into snakes and reptiles in general, heavily influenced by the late Steve Irwin. Later, his fascination moved to the underwater world and specifically towards sharks. This world inspired him so much that Guido decided to try and get into marine
What do you do if you’ve got a great degree, stacks of quality volunteer and intern experience in nature conservation but then spend over six months applying for jobs without a single interview? Having left university, this is what faced our guest today, Chris Thompson. He decided to try a different approach and one which
In 1968 the global population of a small brown bird called the Seychelles Warbler, according to Nature Seychelles, was down to just 30 individuals. Habitat destruction and predation by introduced species like rats had driven the birds to the very edge of extinction and it was listed as critically endangered. Cycle forwards 50 years to
The Iberian Wolf: It can smell and hear its prey from miles away, has a huge territory and, with a top speed of 30mph, can dart across a field in seconds. So to see one you’d have to be at exactly the right spot at the right time. This’ll be easy, we thought to ourselves.
As I apprehensively shuffled into the cage, my gut clenched and my heart stopped…I immediately knew that I was in a bad place, and I desperately wanted to run straight back out. But something stronger told me to carry on, and that by enduring the next hour in this awful place I could find hope
Conservation Careers sponsored Wildlife Blogger of the Year 2018, a competition run by our partner Terra Incognita to raise awareness about our planet’s incredible wildlife through the power of storytelling. This captivating story about tracking lions in Namibia won author Asiem Sanyal the title of Judges’ Choice First Runner Up. To the majority of the
Conservation Careers sponsored Wildlife Blogger of the Year 2018, a competition run by our partner Terra Incognita to raise awareness about our planet’s incredible wildlife through the power of storytelling. This captivating story about tracking lions in Namibia won author Josh Robertson the title of Readers’ Choice Runner Up. Heavy winds swept across the footsteps
I eagerly packed my luggage and camp-net – I’ve been longing for this field trip. In anticipation to meet my dream game species, I left home without taking breakfast. I was the earliest bird at the department car park patiently waiting for others to join me. Unfortunately, the bus developed a fault and affected our
My nostrils had already been assaulted by months of trekking through the Bornean rainforest with an Aldi bag-for-life full of my own poo. Such is the price of conducting research on dung beetles. The one bonus? I thought I had become immunised to bad smells. But the putrid stench of carrion slammed me like a
Michelle Proulx is the Director of animal care and educational programmes at W.O.L.F Sanctuary, Colorado, USA. W.O.L.F is an acronym for Wolves Offered Life and Friendship. The wolf conservation charity rescues captive-born wolves and wolf dogs that have previously been kept as pets and provides them with a permanent life long home at the sanctuary’s facility,
Have you ever met someone whose energy exudes from them so powerfully that you cannot help but be affected? Well that is Dionne. I first met Dionne Slagter – Animal Welfare Manager – in Hanoi, Vietnam. She was to be my supervisor for three months on an animal welfare project we were working on. I was
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
It all started with octopuses… In southern Madagascar, the community of Vezo became concerned that their fisheries were in decline. Blue Ventures, an award-winning marine conservation organisation stepped in and supported temporary closures of fishing zones, as a result, octopus landings increased dramatically, and local incomes grew. News soon spread and Blue Ventures introduced the Locally
After working over 12 years for Blue Ventures, an NGO that focuses on rebuilding tropical fisheries with coastal communities, Frances Humber has dedicated her entire professional career to non-profit and social enterprises and has a wealth of experience in marine conservation. I was fortunate enough to speak with Fran about how she developed from a
My Labrador can do “sit” and “salute” … and that’s about it, but there are some much better trained pups out there with well-respected jobs; those who act as seeing-eye dogs, hearing dogs, therapy dogs, avalanche rescue dogs, and those I want to talk about; conservation dogs. Conservation dogs are taking on increasingly vital roles
Renowned zoo architect, director and consultant, David Hancocks, has long provided controversial yet credible commentary on the captive animal industry. Having authored ‘Animals and Architecture’ and ‘A Different Nature: The Paradoxical World of Zoos and Their Uncertain Future’, in addition to other works, he is currently heavily engaged in writing a new book but was
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
It’s mid-June and, in Chinko National Park, deep in the heart of the Central African Republic (CAR), the wet season is approaching. The atmosphere is hot and humid. The air black with thick swarms of mosquitoes and tsetse flies, their thirst for blood insatiable. Andrew Russell is just one month into his placement here. He has
Sometimes Eve can’t quite believe where she has ended up in life. She’s the director of the Laos Conservation Trust for Wildlife set deep in the heart of rural Laos and she’s not even 30 years old. I’ve known her for years and will sometimes catch up with her online. Our conversation will go something like
Step into the shoes of a conservationist tasked with saving an endangered species from extinction in Conservation Crisis, a game with a purpose where you play to save wildlife. It is a lesson in real-world conservation efforts, requiring you to think quickly and develop the right strategies to save a species from extinction. Tunza Games,
During my recent visit to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya I met Moses Muthoki, the head of community development. Community-based conservation is huge part of the work of the conservancy. Here Moses shares his experiences and career advice for those wishing to follow his footsteps and work in community-based conservation… Moses’ role as head of
Ol Pejeta Conservancy, located in Northern Kenya is home to the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, the last two remaining northern white rhino, a thriving wildlife community, thousands of domestic cattle, eco-tourism and many community projects. Ol Pejeta is tearing up the rule book of traditional conservation and combining conservation, community development, livestock
Richard Thomas is responsible for all the outputs of TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, a leading NGO working globally to combat illegal / unsustainable trade in animals and plants. All information they pass into the public domain and to many of their donors goes through Richard and he also oversees updates to the website
For many budding wildlife biologists, being paid to research a species as rare and elusive as the snow leopard is the dream. For Imogene Cancellare, a PhD student at the University of Delaware, this is her reality. Imogene kindly spoke with me about her journey to this position, and shared some advice for others starting
Director and head scientist for Reef Explorer (Fiji) Ltd, Victor Bonito has traveled the globe studying and exploring reefs including throughout Micronesia and U.S. Pacific Territories, Southeast Asia, Hawaii and Madagascar – and of course, Fiji. Conservation Careers fishes for career advice for anyone ‘cray-sea’ about marine conservation. The worlds’ reefs are in deep trouble, but
It takes courage to ask for help. Even more so when that person is a stranger. Harder still to ask for expensive equipment, or request accommodation and travel expenses. But, by doing just that, filmmaker and photographer Lacy Wittman managed to turn her passion for elephants into an ongoing adventure and part-time career, at little
Breaking into the field of Marine Biology as a recent grad can be daunting and you’ll likely encounter many rejections. “Sorry you don’t have enough experience” is an over-used phrase that will hold you back on getting your lucky first job. But how do you break the cycle of need experience to get a job, but need a job
Sophie Lewis is the Responsible Whale Watching Project Manager at the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA). The WCA is a global coalition of organisations dedicated to the protection of whales, dolphins and porpoises across the world. Here, Sophie discusses her career path and gives advice on how she ended up working for this wonderful organisation. Why
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
As we march into 2018, news from the conservation front-line is bleak. The earth is teetering towards its sixth mass global extinction – this time, as a direct result of human interference. Meanwhile, wildlife is the fourth most profitable trafficking crime after humans, weapons and drugs. And, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
