Growing up in an area where there is little to no wildlife, I always had to travel long distances to immerse myself in nature and observe animals in their natural habitats. My excitement for these experiences is what makes me so passionate about protecting wildlife globally. Conservation is the single most important cause to me and learning about continuous habitat destruction, biodiversity loss and decline of wildlife populations pushes me to pursue it as a career.

My previous conservation experience includes wildlife rehabilitation, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, marine and terrestrial surveying, and animal tracking – specifically of mammals and megafauna. I’ve enjoyed exploring my passion for conservation through different missions and in different regions of the world, but most importantly seeing the potential for recovery and restoration.

Through this course, I hope to decide on a research focus and a better sense of direction as I continue on to a PhD in this field. I’m looking forward to gaining new skills in wildlife conservation.