Tim Appleton MBE (now retired) is well known as the warden of Rutland Water nature reserve in the UK and co-founder of the British Birdwatching Fair. Guest blogger Stephen Thompson talked to him about his interest in wildlife, where his career began, the importance of volunteering and much more but not forgetting the biggest conservation
What unique challenges do women in conservation face? Are self-sabotage and imposter syndrome more common in women? How can women conservationists gain more support in their careers? Explore the barriers and opportunities for the women who’ve dedicated their careers to conserving ‘mother Earth’! Join us for a free webinar with Kirsty Crawford and Laura Cuppage of &
Does the idea of working on coral reef conservation using cutting edge science excite you? How about living on an island helping tourists to participate and learn about coral conservation? Conservation Careers Blogger Bill Boteler interviewed Simon Dixon to learn about his work restoring damaged coral reefs. Simon is the Marine Discovery Centre Manager at
Looking back, we can hardly believe what happened in 2020. This time last year all was ‘normal’ and here we are in a world filled with face-masks, hand sanitiser and travel restrictions. Nevertheless, 2020 hasn’t slowed us down. In fact, seeing how governments worldwide can enact change quickly, at a global scale, to tackle an
Today we’re speaking with the host of The Case for Conservation Podcast and Programme Director at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, André Mader. André is a conservation biologist by training and he’s worked mostly in biodiversity policy, first in his native South Africa, and then also in Canada, Switzerland and Japan. During the podcast,
Have you ever met someone and wondered in awe about how they have done so much in such a short space of time? That’s a feeling I got when I first met Elliot Connor, who’s our guest on the podcast today. Elliot is a 17 year old Australian popular science writer, presenter, producer, and so
Dr Lynne MacTavish’s work has influenced many across the world. As operations manager of Mankwe Wildlife Reserve, she has given 20 years of major contributions to wildlife conservation in South Africa. Besides helping her father run the reserve, Lynne is the Principal Investigator onsite for Earthwatch, has co-authored 17 publications, coordinates visiting students and Earthwatch groups and rehabilitates orphaned animals in need.
Today we’re speaking to Anthony Ochieng, or Tony Wild as he is often known. Tony is a Kenyan-born wildlife ecologist, conservation photographer, traveller, educator and explorer. He is a busy man! I’ve been following Tony’s work for the past three years and his photography of conservation projects is truly inspiring. He has quickly and rightly
How would you like to help save species on the brink? Meet Rikki Gumbs, a postdoctoral research scientist the Zoological Society of London (ZSL)’s Edge of Existence programme. EDGE seeks to identify and conserve evolutionarily unique species on the verge of extinction, from pygmy hippos to pangolins, plus many evolutionary underdogs you’ve probably never heard
As conservation career opportunities rebound, conservationists and organisations who understand their ‘niche’, innovate and adapt can survive – or even thrive. In March 2020 the global COVID-19 pandemic froze international travel, halted recruitment and sent the conservation industry into a sudden standstill. In April 2020, a survey of 330 conservationists by Conservation Careers showed that
Melissa Dawson’s lifelong passion and enthusiasm for biology and conservation has led her to a slice of bushveld heaven. In South Africa lies Mankwe Wildlife Reserve, a small family business with over 500 species from Giraffe to Dung beetles. They focus on the importance of research and education within conservation. Melissa first visited the reserve
David Fernandez is a behavioural ecologist conservation biologist. Behavioural ecologists play an important role in conservation. Behaviour links organisms and the environment and is a fundamental aspect of animal life. Changes to the environment can affect animal behaviour. For instance, the food available in degraded and pristine ecosystems might differ, which could in turn affect
The Elephant Conservation Centre (ECC) does incredible work preserving the Laotian elephant population in the wild and under human care. The ECC in Laos currently have 32 elephants, and with a range of different conservation initiatives including education and reproduction, the ECC is working hard to save them. In this interview, ECC’s biologist, Anabel Lopez
At Conservation Careers, we believe in conserving biodiversity through diversity. We urgently need more perspectives, voices, ideas and expertise to create a world in which wildlife thrives. Celebrating Diversity in Conservation is a new initiative to share careers advice from professional conservationists from every corner of the planet. Our ultimate goal is to showcase conservationists from
A tragedy has befallen many species of vultures. They have become collateral victims of poisoning incidents and human activities. Their numbers are significantly declining in Africa and Asia and many places on earth are lacking sufficient scavenging by “nature’s clean-up crew”. So says José Tavares, director of the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF), Europe’s leading organisation working
Bristol Zoological Society (BZS) uses scientific research to conduct and support conservation efforts in five continents across the globe. With high emphasis on the importance of implementing sustainable solutions to promote species and ecosystem survival. Dr Grainne McCabe is at the head of the amazing conservation projects carried out by BZS. This interview provides a
The Monteverde Butterfly Gardens in Costa Rica have been teaching people about Costa Rica’s insects and arachnids for over 20 years. On a mission to change the way people think about small, misunderstood creatures, they host tours and offer 10-week internships for people who want to learn how to convey scientific and conservation knowledge. In
The Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP) and their Indonesian counterpart, Konservasi Kakatua Indonesia (KKI), work collaboratively to protect the parrots of Indonesia. Established in 2001 by Dr Stewart Metz and originally known as Project Bird Watch, the organisation focuses efforts on conservation and education. Conservation efforts take many forms, from Critically Endangered species protection programmes to rescue, rehabilitation and release (via Indonesian-based centre, Kembalis Bebas), to community awareness
In this second instalment of Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) interviews, Veterinarian Sara Ferguson provides an in-depth account of the day-today threats faced by giraffe in Murchison National Park, Uganda. Home to the largest population of giraffe in Uganda, the National Park is the central focus point for the vital efforts carried out by the GCF, who partner with the Uganda Wildlife
Jon Paul Rodríguez is an award-winning Venezuelan conservationist who wears many hats. As Co-Founder of local NGO Provita, he spearheaded work to nearly triple the number of Endangered Yellow-Shouldered Parrots in the wild, winning the Whitley Gold Award in 2019 in the process. More recently, he was elected as the first non-European and non-North American Chair of
In this first instalment of interviews with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, conservation ecologist Michael Butler Brown explores how science and diverse perspectives contribute to giraffe conservation. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) is a globally operational organisation working towards saving giraffe in the wild. Using science to navigate conservation-based strategies and initiatives to best support wild giraffe populations.
Have you thought about starting a blog? Are you passionate about writing and communicating and want to share your thoughts, experiences and opinions? Will it make a difference? Kate Stephenson did just this nine years ago when she started her blog, Kate on Conservation. Now her award winning blog highlights important conservation issues, individuals and organisations and tries
For over two decades Elephants Alive has been monitoring and researching one of the largest populations of elephants in South Africa. This work is vital during a time where elephant numbers are under immense pressure from habitat restriction, human-elephant conflict and poaching. Anka Bedetti joined Elephants Alive in 2016 as the Tracking and ID Study
Sabelo Lindani is one of the more experienced conservationists in Cape Town, South Africa, with experience in both the governmental and private sector of conservation. In 2017 he started his own company (Contour Enviro Group) and now employs 25 other up and coming and experienced conservationists. Together they offer government and private clients Wilderness and
Upside-down. Frozen. Stalled. Lost. The COVID-19 pandemic has put everything from university fieldwork and planned internships to job offers on hold, and left many conservationists feeling uncertain about their futures. It’s hard to accept when big plans are pulled from our grasp, when our hard-earned savings take a hit, or when a door slams shut
How do you grow a conservation organisation from 5 staff to over 500 in just over two decades? Why might Greta Thunberg be wrong to avoid air travel, and how is the conservation industry changing the way it hires staff in the 21st century? I discuss these issues and many more with today’s guest Mark Rose – Chief Executive Officer – Fauna &
The sun was already fierce, and it had yet to hit noon. Despite the heat, the streets of Livingstone, Zambia, were alive with people. Songs filled the air, gangs of children chattered excitedly, women in bright chitenge skirts smiled and joined the teeming throng of humans. This was not a festival. It was a community litter pick. Along with hundreds of other community
With health and economic impacts at the forefront of global concerns, what’s happening to the people whose job it is to protect the future of our health, wealth and wellbeing – the planet? Rangers and researchers, fundraisers and filmmakers worldwide seek little recognition as guardians of the planet for future generations – the oceans we
Feeling lost in your conservation job hunt? Want to work in conservation, but don’t know where to start? Get your career on track with the Conservation Career Kick-Starter is designed to help you understand the job market, to navigate your career options, and to get hired more quickly. Whether you’re at university and planning your
In this Love the Oceans podcast we’re talking to someone whose drive, passion and achievements in a short space of time have just blown me away. Francesca Trotman is the Managing Director and Founder of ‘Love the Oceans’, an organisation seeking to create a marine protected area off the coast of Mozambique. Fran first visited
