In the realm of ecology and conservation, diverse voices and experiences are crucial to shaping a more inclusive field. One such voice is Şeniz Mustafa (pronouns: she/her), a recent graduate with a master’s degree in ecology and conservation. Her journey, marked by curiosity and determination, offers valuable insights into both the challenges and opportunities faced by aspiring ecologists today. Şeniz shares her journey and commitment to promoting equality and diversity within wildlife careers, as well as her thoughts on how we can open up the space on all levels. For a transcript of this conv ..read more

Are you a budding wildlife enthusiast with a passion for photography? Jesse Campbell (pronouns: he/him) is a 21-year-old reptile enthusiast. Jesse balances his time as an undergraduate student, studying biology in the final year of his degree at Wollongong University, with his wildlife photography business and content creation on his YouTube channel, Jesse’s WildLife. Jesse has worked with reptiles in various capacities: at zoo facilities such as Symbio Wildlife Park, doing snake relocations and more recently as an ecologist doing fauna surveys. He also works around the conservation and awaren ..read more

Kelsey Prediger (pronouns: she/her) is a passionate wildlife biologist who works in Namibia to conserve pangolins. Originally from Michigan, USA, Kelsey followed her passion to make a meaningful impact for wildlife conservation with an unexpected career pathway shifting from veterinary medicine to wildlife management. She moved halfway around the world and her adventures led her to jump headfirst into pangolin conservation. She is now the Founder and Executive Director of the Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation, a non-profit she created to raise awareness and deliver grassroots conse ..read more

Jason Kitting (pronouns: he/him) is a bird banding expert who studies migratory birds and how they interact with the environment. Bird banding is a scientific practice of catching and releasing birds to understand their ages, movements and life histories – one of many that is governed by hands-on experience and mentorship rather than formal education and qualifications. For this reason, it is a wonderful way for people to gain practical experience in wildlife handling and monitoring without the barrier of a tertiary degree. Jason shares his story of how he became fascinated by birds, fell into ..read more

Mathieu Charette (pronouns: he/him) is a French-Canadian ecologist, bird bander and founder of the Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society (or TREES for short), a registered Belizean non-profit field research station in Belize with a focus on ecological monitoring, capacity building in the local community and conservation education. Mathieu shares the journey that he and his business partner Vanessa embarked on when they made the decision to found Toucan Ridge. #ITSAWILDLIFE #itsawildlife is a podcast and ⁠⁠⁠⁠blog⁠⁠⁠⁠, sharing the great work being done for wildlife conservation worldwide an ..read more

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 discusses some of the challenges involved in pursuing a career of biology in Cuba as well as some of her top tips for getting involved in bird banding and landing a job to work with wildlife! Daniela is an advocate for acknowledging your privilege wherever your ..read more

Alyssa Sargent (pronouns: she/her) is a PhD student at the University of Washington, USA, for which she studies hummingbirds in South America (one of the greatest projects she could possibly imagine!). Alyssa has experience working in bird research all over the world, as well as a passion for science communication, which she spends a lot of her time doing. Alyssa shares the steps she took on her journey in wildlife research and outreach as well as pointers to help you do the same! #ITSAWILDLIFE #itsawildlife is a podcast and blog, sharing the great work being done for wildlife conservation w ..read more

Chiara Bono (pronouns: she/her) is an Italian biologist and nature blogger focused on ethology (animal behaviour) who is passionate about nature connection. Chiara shares her process for taking time to connect with nature as well as the experiences that are available to each and every one of us when we take the time to slow down, appreciate the world around us and tune into our emotions – the way we feel when we are in nature. Chiara also speaks about her blog – and the importance of promoting sustainability as something that is simple, accessible and attainable. For a transcript of this episo ..read more

Are you looking to find your way into a career in conservation? Feel like you’ve tried everything to land that dream job and still can’t get beyond the interview stage? Starting to doubt your decision to follow your passion for wildlife? If the answer to any of these is yes, then it sounds as if you could use some clarity… and reassurance! And for that, you’re in the right place! Today, we speak with Novaline Elsebet (pronouns: she/her), a life coach and human design reader who joins us to share how we can affirm our purpose and feel confident we are on the right pathway&nb ..read more

Alex Troutman (pronouns: he/him) is a wildlife biologist, author and science communicator who has worked all over the world with a whole suite of species from birds to bats to sea turtles. He talks about the challenges and opportunities he faced as a black person in a predominantly white field, and how he strives to inspire future black conservationists. He discusses how he uses his books and social media to educate and engage the public about wildlife and conservation. He also gives some advice for aspiring biologists and nature lovers, such as being curious, passionate, flexible, and persist ..read more