Women in Wildlife

We are so thrilled to have Connie Needham on the podcast for a two part series! Connie is a passionate wildlife storyteller shares her journey from the Scottish countryside to becoming a dedicated advocate for ethical wildlife tourism. Connie discusses her journey from studying philosophy to her work in wildlife advocacy. She emphasises the importance of recognizing red flags in wildlife tourism and the critical role local communities play in conservation efforts. Connie also explores the significance of transparency and accreditation in wildlife facilities, offering practical advice for tourists who wish to engage ethically with wildlife. Her experiences underscore the need for a shift in focus from close encounters to meaningful experiences that support conservation efforts. By sharing her insights, Connie aims to inspire listeners to make informed choices that respect the natural behaviors and habitats of wildlife. This episode highlights the importance of ethical considerations in wildlife tourism and the role of education and transparency in promoting responsible interactions with wildlife.

Resources & Links
Connie's Instagram: connie.needham
Connie's Youtube: youtube.com/@connie.needham?si=IQilIILIqGhc6Nh3&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnNAyL33mETLXKKmD-NOSJDx2NRMkSLD9fCuChTjAm-BWbU4jJopAR2bkePPY_aem_0z6MARvM0GI-vyKicEB4xA
Project Wild: https://www.projectwild.uk/about 
Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries
Pan-African Sanctuary Alliance
European Alliance of Rescue Centres and Sanctuaries (EARAZA)

Any questions or queries contact [email protected]
Links to our resources:
Website: https://women-in-wildlife.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/women.in.wildlife/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077369770841
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womeninwildlife
Music by Thomas Hagen from SLAUX

This episode dives into the realities of doing a PhD in Australia. Co-host Eliza, now in the final year of her PhD, reflects on the best and worst parts of the journey so far, while co-host Maddy opens up about her decision to walk away from her PhD in 2022, and how she feels about that choice four years later.
We unpack the constant uphill learning curve of a PhD, toxic academic culture, and the wide range of skills you can gain along the way. Eliza also shares five key things to consider before starting a PhD. This episode also marks the launch of our new segments, Wildlife Wins and Field Fails, featuring listener-submitted stories and podcast-specific questions from our community. Want to be involved? You can submit a story via our website for future episodes!

Any questions or queries contact [email protected]
Links to our resources:
Website: https://women-in-wildlife.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/women.in.wildlife/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077369770841
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womeninwildlife
Music by Thomas Hagen from SLAUX

In our (slightly belated) December episode, we delve into the remarkable journey of Narau Kimani Laizer, a Maasai woman from Tanzania who defied cultural expectations to pursue education and empowerment. Growing up in a community where education for girls was not prioritized, Nara bravely escaped an arranged marriage at the age of 12 to seek a different life. With the support of a compassionate teacher and a nonprofit organization, she pursued her education in wildlife conservation. Today, Nara is the co-founder of the Enduata Community Initiative Organization (ECIO), dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in her community. Through ECIO, Nara empowers women with education and economic opportunities, challenging traditional roles and fostering a new generation of leaders. Her work extends to wildlife conservation, where she educates her community on the importance of preserving nature, demonstrating how conservation and community development can go hand in hand. Her story is a testament to resilience and the transformative power of education and conservation.
You can follow the work of ECIO here: https://ecio.or.tz/
Any questions or queries contact [email protected]
Links to our resources:
Website: https://women-in-wildlife.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/women.in.wildlife/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077369770841
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womeninwildlife
Music by Thomas Hagen from SLAUX

For our November episode, we celebrated our two year podcast birthday! We combined this celebration and look back of two years of trailblazing guests, with our yearly wrap-up (a tad early). We finally introduced our amazing producer, Taylor, and got to hear about her extensive background in communications and incredible new job at Free The Bears. We chatted about the ways in which our guests and the conversations we have had on the podcast has changed the way we look at wildlife and conservation, and the impact we hope that it has had on our listeners. We each looked back at a message from guests that really stood out to us this year, and changes that we made in our lives/careers as a result. Finally, we each chose a women-led conservation success story from this year, from anywhere in the world, and shared how the empowerment of women has led to a successful wildlife outcome. We haven't quite wrapped up for the year though- we will be back in your ears in December!
You can follow producer Taylor at @taylor.jamii 
Any questions or queries contact [email protected]
Links to our resources:
Website: https://women-in-wildlife.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/women.in.wildlife/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077369770841
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womeninwildlife
Music by Thomas Hagen from SLAUX

For our October episode we were joined by the delightful Dr Liberty Boyd. Liberty is a marine biologist, science communicator, and educator. With a PhD in marine biology, her work bridges academic research, wildlife conservation, and storytelling to drive meaningful change for coastal ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. Dr. Boyd currently runs the social media page Libertyology — a platform dedicated to ocean advocacy, youth empowerment, and innovative marine conservation. As a current postdoctoral researcher at Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch, she is working on a sea turtle ecotoxicology study related to loggerhead exposure to harmful algal bloom biotoxins in the Indian River Lagoon. Dr. Boyd also works closely with a non-profit organization, the National Save The Sea Turtle Foundation, as an affiliate researcher, conducting hawksbill sea turtle research in South Florida. Between research, teaching, and science communications, her efforts aim to make the marine science fields more inclusive, creative, and impactful.
In this episode we delved into all things sea turtle research- from sea turtle movement ecology to ecotoxicology. We spoke about the importance of being a responsible tourist, and some of the red flags to look out for in 'eco-tourism'. Liberty shared her passion of science communication, and the importance of scientists being able to communicate their work to the public. Liberty was such a pleasure to have on the podcast, you can continute following her work on her Instagram channel @libertyology
Any questions or queries contact [email protected]
Links to our resources:
Website: https://women-in-wildlife.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/women.in.wildlife/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077369770841
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womeninwildlife
Music by Thomas Hagen from SLAUX