Interviews Senior Level 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
Scientist Interviews May 9, 2016 6 min read

From intern to inspiration story: landing an adventure job in the Peruvian Amazon

Scottish zoologist Holly O’Donnell doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. When a university professor told O’Donnell that her bachelor’s degree was worth “toilet paper” and that she was going nowhere, she could have abandoned her career dreams. Instead, she fundraised and interned her way from Scotland to Antarctica, Paraguay and the Peruvian Amazon, where she

Kristi Foster
Interviews Senior Level May 5, 2016 6 min read

Living Seas: From dolphins to dredging with Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Abby Crosby

Abby Crosby is the Marine Conservation Officer for Cornwall Wildlife Trust, working within their Living Seas department which focuses on Cornwall’s diverse marine life, all the way from corals to basking sharks. The Living Seas aim is to collect data, create awareness of threats to marine wildlife, and campaign for better protection of Cornish marine

Kaitlin Flood
Interviews Senior Level April 25, 2016 4 min read

So you want to be a Marine Conservationist?

Sam Craven, an established marine conservationist, works for Zoox as a senior programmes officer in the Philippines. Zoox is an organisation that was created to help budding marine conservationists to gain the experience and training they need to enter a career in marine conservation, and their programmes allow volunteers to get involved with a UNEP

c.a.chivers@hotmail.com' Charlotte-Anne Chivers
Interviews Senior Level April 15, 2016 9 min read

From Rainforests to Reefs: the Australian-based Conservation Master’s

  With arid lands, rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef within roughly 1000 kilometres, plus a worldwide reputation for cutting-edge research in environment and ecology, the University of Queensland is an exciting place to train future conservationists. In 2013, the Australian university launched a one-year Master of Conservation Biology and an 18-month Master of Conservation

Kristi Foster
Interviews Senior Level April 14, 2016 6 min read

Conservation Jobs: from grass roots to Government with Abi Blandon

This week we’re talking to Abi Blandon – Marine Assessment Scientist from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) who also volunteers for Honko Mangrove Conservation and Education. She tells us what it’s like to work in two different conservation jobs – from grass roots to Government – and shares her careers advice.  Why do you work

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level April 7, 2016 7 min read

Human nature: Protecting Indigenous resource rights in remote Australia

Dr. Marcus Barber spent a year living in a tent, tore his knee in a footy match, chopped up a pelican for dinner and directed an impromptu documentary, all in support of Indigenous water rights. Here the environmental anthropologist with Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, shares the challenges, lessons and life-changing experiences of more than

Kristi Foster
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 March 10, 2016 8 min read

Forgotten Fungi – An Interview with Pam Catcheside

It is estimated that in Australia alone there are a quarter of a million species of fungi. As our understanding of the largely undiscovered and often overlooked world of fungi grows, volunteers and researchers in mycology continue to make new and interesting discoveries that have huge impacts on conservation. One such researcher is Pam Catcheside.

Shana Ahmed
Interviews Animal Welfare December 31, 2015 7 min read

Ten questions with Zoo Education Curator Rick LoBello

Conservation Careers Blogger Naima Montacer was excited to speak to her friend and former boss Rick LoBello about his past. Rick LoBello is Education Curator at the El Paso Zoo. He has also worked in several National Parks including Big Bend, Yellowstone, Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns and now is the current Education Curator at the

Naima Montacer
Interviews Scientist December 31, 2015 1 min read

What’s it like to work for The Marine Environment Research Association?

A career helping whales and dolphins with Catarina Fonseca Catarina Fonseca is the Researcher and Volunteer Coordinator for AIMM – Associação para Investigação do Meio Marinho / Marine Environment Research Association – in Portugal. Here she tells Conservation Careers her watery story… Why do you work in conservation? Since I was a child I’ve dreamed

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 6 min read

Dr Chris Sandbrook – Training our next Conservation Leaders

Dr Chris Sandbrook has followed an inspiring career path and is now utilizing his professional and academic experience to train the next generations of conservation leaders. Chris currently works as a lecturer at UNEP- World Conservation Monitoring Centre and he is also an affiliated lecturer in the Department of Geography at the University of Cambridge

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 6 min read

Storytelling for a sustainable world – a career marketing tourism

What if you could help protect a rainforest ecosystem by telling the story of an ecolodge’s composting system? Or help safeguard a biosphere reserve by promoting a sustainable tourism initiative? The answer is, you can. In this interview, Tartan Group President Deirdre Campbell shares how communicating sustainable tourism can support environment, business and community – and

Kristi Foster
Interviews Animal Welfare December 31, 2015 6 min read

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 countries. Why did you choose conservation as a career? It is actually quite

James Walker
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 FAQs December 31, 2015 4 min read

Masters in Conservation Leadership – Cambridge University

The world is currently facing rapid changes that are triggering conservation crises at a global scale. There is an increasing need for conservation leaders who can tackle the major issues and drive change for a more sustainable future. The MPhil in Conservation Leadership, offered by Cambridge University, aims to train students to address the conservation

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Scientist December 31, 2015 6 min read

Biodiversity Wizardry in Honduras: an interview with Dr. Merlijn Jocqué

One week in Cusuco National Park was more than enough to fundamentally change my perception of Honduras. Before coming to this cloud forest in the Merendon mountain range, all that came to my mind when thinking about this part of the world was lowland rainforest, jaguars, and hot, humid temperatures. Instead, on the way to the

Marta Cálix
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 5 min read

Durrell Conservation Academy – helping conservationists everywhere!

Theo Blossom is the Training Coordinator for Durrell Conservation Academy based in Jersey, UK. Durrell are world leaders in conservation training – offering a unique learning experience wherever you are in your career. Theo kindly takes some time out of his busy schedule to tell us about Durrell Conservation Academy… What is Durrell Conservation Academy?

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Animal Welfare December 31, 2015 5 min read

Bird ringing in Costa Rica with Pablo Elizondo

Pablo Elizondo partners up with local communities to protect endemic species in Costa Rica. Conservation Careers Blogger and former Costa Rica Bird Observatories volunteer Stella Diamant speaks with Pablo about his daily work, the importance of reaching out to local people and why budding conservationists should not give up. What is CRBO? CRBO stands for

Stella Diamant
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 1 min read

What’s it like to work for Sea Sense?

Lindsey West: Saving our oceans one sea turtle at a time Today we meet Lindsey West, Director of marine conservation organisation Sea Sense. The NGO, initially established in Mafia Island, Tanzania, in 2001, works closely with coastal communities in Tanzania to conserve and protect endangered species, including sea turtles, dugongs, whales, dolphins, and whale sharks.

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Senior Level December 31, 2015 12 min read

From Hollywood to the Wilderness – an Interview with Mike Tomkies

Mike Tomkies was born in 1928, and following a period serving in the Coldstream Guards became a journalist, landing interviews with stars such as Elvis Presley, John Wayne, Ava Gardner and many more. After moving to the wilderness in Canada and later writing of his experiences there he emerged as one of the greatest nature writers

James Walker
Interviews Climate Change December 31, 2015 8 min read

Water and Wildlife with Chris Gerrard

This week we’re speaking to Chris Gerrard. He tells us about his role as Anglian Water’s Climate Change and Biodiversity Manager, his fascinating career path to date, and provides some practical advice for people looking for a job in conservation. What’s it like being the Climate Change and Biodiversity Manager at Anglian Water? I’ve got

Dr Nick Askew
Interviews Scientist December 31, 2015 1 min read

VIDEO – Professor Rhys Green talks about his RSPB career in conservation science

The RSPB offer a diverse range of roles from internships to post-grad opportunities to permanent positions. In this short video, Professor Rhys Green tells us about his RSPB career in conservation science. [vimeo 85252022 w=560 h=315] If you’d like to read more about working for the RSPB, and their paid voluntary and internship opportunities, please click

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 7 min read

National Geographic Project Manager – Julie Brown

Conservation is a broad field with many career opportunities that fall under the conservation umbrella. One of the biggest challenges is following your path to discover your niche. Julie Brown spoke candidly with me about her non-linear path to her current role in conservation education. I, as a Conservation Career blogger, was extremely inspired by

Naima Montacer
Interviews Celebrating Diversity in Conservation December 31, 2015 6 min read

Being a naturalist, broadcaster and wildlife detective with Ed Drewitt

Ed Drewitt is a naturalist, author, broadcaster, tour leader, birder, photographer, public speaker, bird ringer, zoologist, diver, feather expert, and Peregrin researcher. Here Ed kindly shares his conservation careers advice… Why do you work in conservation? I´ve always been interested in wildlife, particularly birds, since I was six or seven – and was encouraged by my family

Dr Nick Askew
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