This week we’re talking to Victoria Price from Vision Wild, a new organization which designs, implements and evaluates wildlife conservation projects. In this podcast we discuss how to create a successful project and share tips for how to fundraise for conservation projects. We also explore the importance of project management skills for career development. If
“It really breaks my heart to think of Pakistan’s wildlife disappearing without people even realizing, so a lot of that feeds into my pursuit of wildlife conservation and wanting to break down barriers, especially for Pakistani women getting involved.” Maria Hashmi, 21 years old, has a huge passion for all things zoology, especially reptiles. This
Oana wildlife reserve in the deep south of Namibia is 45,000 hectares of breath-taking mountainous semi-desert. Home to a previously unknown population of leopards, the reserve encompasses 50km of the lush Orange River, which is a wildlife refuge amid the extensive hues of orange and red rocky and sandy plains. For the past three and
When you think about the Amazon basin and the vast area of dense jungle and vegetation, do you think about seeing dolphins? Me neither. Today we’re talking to Suzanne Smith, the Executive Director and Founder of the Amazon River Dolphin Conservation Foundation. This is a charity set up in 2014 to conserve the species through
Have you ever dreamt about a career exploring the coral reefs of the south Pacific, diving in Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and all the lost corners of Papua New Guinea? Perhaps you’d love to spend time with the local communities whose lives depend on the health of their forests and fisheries, working in partnership
Competition when applying for a conservation job can be tough. The good news is that there are more jobs available than ever before. We list over 8,000 conservation jobs on our site each year and that continues to grow. The bad news is there are more people like you looking to work in the sector.
Our planet’s seven species of sea turtle have captured the fascination of conservationists and concerned citizens the world over. In this post, we profile turtle conservation internships and volunteer opportunities around the world where you can help out. Maybe it’s the story of their against-all-odds journey from egg to open ocean and back, completing one
Action for Conservation (AFC) is a youth environmental education charity working to empower young people, aged 12-18, to take action on environmental issues that are important to them. AFC was founded in 2014 with a mission to bring the wonder of nature into all young peoples’ lives, inspiring a youth movement committed to conservation and
Have you ever considered doing a conservation science master’s course to kick-start your career in conservation? What would completing a masters course (degree) achieve? Is it right for you and would it lead to a conservation job? These are some of the topics covered in a wide-ranging discussion with Brendan Godley, Professor of Conservation Science
In this podcast we’re speaking with Professor Ken Norris, Director of Science at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Ken leads the ZSL Institute of Zoology, the world’s only university in a zoo, and also oversees the vet teams who look after the welfare of animals at London and Whipsnade zoos. He’s a busy guy!
When the opening line of a story mentions an Aldi bag-for-life full of human poo, you know it’s gonna be worth reading on, right? That story was the winning entry in the Wildlife Blog of the Year competition and written by Gianluca Cerullo. He’s a conservation scientist and writer with a passion for adventure, wildlife
In this episode we’re speaking to a young, budding conservationist, Ruben Hoekstra, at the very start of his career. Ruben attended the prestigious Future For Nature Awards, where talented young conservationists from across the globe win support for their projects alongside a tasty cash prize of €50,000. Normally in these podcasts we speak with professional
When you think about wildlife and conservation efforts, do you feel overwhelmed by the challenges we face? Saddened by the state of the planet and the rate of biodiversity losses? Upset by the volumes of plastic in our oceans, that slaughter of migratory birds over Malta? Or the clearing of our rainforest for palm oil? Or, do
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
If you’re interested in wildlife conservation and concerned about the loss of species from this little planet of ours, then you’ve probably heard of a term called community-based conservation. But what is it? And how can wildlife conservation provide a pathway to helping people out of poverty? And finally, why have some of the poorest
Alvaro Cubero is a celebrated Costa Rican Wildlife Photographer who’s work has been published in National Geographic, is a TEDX Speaker, and a finalist of the Smithsonia Institute Photo Contest. “During a typical day as a wildlife photographer, my favorite moment is when I am in front an animal, and I can see into its nicked eyes
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
In this episode we’re speaking to Andrew Lewin, who’s the founder of Speak Up For Blue, a marine ecologist and an Ocean-preneur. He also runs three podcasts of his own so we’ve got a real veteran on today. We talk about marine careers, what the different jobs in the marine environment are and how you
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
In this episode of the Conservation Careers Podcast, Nick Askew speaks to Adam Barlow, Executive Director WildTeam UK. WildTeam UK help conservationists to achieve more through expert training in project design and management. In this episode Adam shares his exciting career so far helping to conserve tigers, working with local communities, and now supporting conservationists to
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
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
Lydia Tiller works for Save the Elephants and is the Research and Science Manager for their Human-Elephant Co-Existence Program. Save the Elephants are working to preserve vital migration corridors, maintain elephant-friendly landscapes and promote tolerant relationships between elephant and man. There is an increase in pressure on elephants due to the rising human footprint thus
Scott Trageser is the Director and Co-founder of the Creative Conservation Alliance (CCA) and is a member of the Board of Directors for The Biodiversity Group. Having grown up in the United States but now living an itinerant lifestyle, Scott now calls the world his home. As a conservation biologist and photographer behind NatureStills, he
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
The human population is growing at an alarming rate – in April this year there was an estimated 7.5 billion people living on the planet, placing a substantial burden on the earth’s resources as they compete for land and food. As such, over population is having an increasingly detrimental impact on habitat and wildlife numbers
Filling a gap Positive Change for Marine Life is a marine conservation organization based in Byron Bay and Brisbane, Australia. Their slogan ‘paving the path to change through understanding, education, and respect’ comes from their desire to work with communities and create viable economic alternatives to inhumane and unsustainable marine industries. Their campaigns cover a
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
I spoke to Alex Bateson, a franchise holder at Lion Learners North West England. It can be a difficult task getting your foot in the door at a successful conservation organisation, why not try being a little entrepreneurial and set up your own conservation enterprise like Lion Learners? Alex can you tell us a bit
When was the last time something turned your world view upside-down? Maybe it happened during a meal with a homestay family or while talking to a stranger amidst luggage and chickens on a packed local bus. Maybe it happened in the middle of a moving documentary, when you glimpsed an animal in its last remaining
