{"id":2379,"date":"2019-04-19T08:35:06","date_gmt":"2019-04-19T08:35:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-i-made-a-career-in-conservation-biology\/"},"modified":"2025-01-15T06:37:03","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T06:37:03","slug":"how-i-made-a-career-in-conservation-biology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/how-i-made-a-career-in-conservation-biology","title":{"rendered":"How I made a career in conservation biology"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm; margin-left:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">My desire to work towards saving and conserving wildlife started when I was 10 years old. I knew I did not want to be a vet; I wanted to be outside, surrounded by nature! And although this might have seemed a bit ambitious at that time, I decided I was going to save the world! Eventually, I narrowed my focus on to one group of species, the gibbons in South-East (SE) Asia. And this was only the beginning! Gibbons are the singing, swinging small apes; not as big as their great ape cousins, but not monkeys. I was drawn to them because they are understudied and because they have fabulous songs which they use to maintain the bond between the adult pair and to defend their territories. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm; margin-left:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">My conservation work now encompasses several species across SE Asia (with a focus on the Indonesian Borneo). I am co-director for the Borneo Nature Foundation (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.borneonaturefoundation.org\/en\/\" style=\"color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline\">BNF<\/a>) and Borneo River Initiative for Nature Conservation and Communities (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.brinccborneo.org\/\" style=\"color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline\">BRINCC<\/a>) as well as Vice-chair for the IUCN Section on Small Apes (<a href=\"https:\/\/gibbons.asia\/\" style=\"color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline\">SSA<\/a>). But how did I get here?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm; margin-left:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">Unlike becoming a lawyer or a medical doctor, there is no single path to becoming a conservationist. Indeed, you could talk to 10 different conservationists and get 10 different answers. So here is mine in a (largish) nutshell:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">To start with, I received an undergraduate degree in zoology at the University of Edinburgh (honours project on farmland birds)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">I began volunteering at the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project in Thailand<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">After this, I got some fieldwork experience in South Dakota, USA (helping study mule and white-tailed deer)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">I then completed a PhD at the University of Cambridge (this involved my work towards the rehabilitation of gibbons from the pet trade in Indonesia)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">I joined Borneo Nature Foundation (previously known as the Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">Post this, I took up a post-doctoral job at George Washington University, Washington DC, USA<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">I then took up another post-doctoral job at Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">I was instrumental in setting up BRINCC<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">I was then appointed as an Associate Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">After this, I secured the position of Vice-chair for the IUCN Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group Section on Small Apes<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">Finally, I took up Teaching Fellow role in Biological Anthropology, Oxford Brookes University<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm; margin-left:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">This list covers a span of 20 years and while it includes all my achievements and laurels, it does not include the struggles I had to overcome along the way \u2013 the times I had no income, the times our young NGO was struggling for funds, when things went wrong with permits and permissions, when staff members were unhappy, when I felt out of my depth while starting a new project, when I had to deal with illness (both mine and others), etc. Wildlife does not have a voice, so we need to speak for wildlife; to tell their stories, to protect their homes and to help them. Conservation biologists agree it is unscientific to become attached to your study animals, but everyone in conservation also knows you cannot help but become attached to the species you are working to protect. You are allowed a privileged insight into their lives. So, it is impossible not to become attached to these animals, and to be drawn in by their personalities and characters. It also does not talk about the amazing people I have worked with and those who continue to play a big role in my work, the excitement of expeditions and new discoveries, and the sense of achievement when your work is recognized at the local or national government levels and really makes a difference at the policy level. And the fact that no one is ever working alone in conservation really makes me happy!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"yiv7298234118ydp972b2016yiv5483824555\" style=\"margin-right:0cm; margin-left:0cm\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background:white\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif\">What I have learned is that your academic qualifications are surely important, but they are not enough. You need practical experience and a willingness to learn more, including balancing budgets, managing people, and managing your own mental and physical health. These days, more and more degrees are available which can help prepare you for a conservation career, both at the undergraduate and Master\u2019s levels (a PhD is not always necessary). Also there is now more awareness of the many roles needed in conservation: researchers, managers, educators, policy managers, communicators, financial experts, grant writers, film makers, zoo keepers, consultants, graphic designers, geographical information systems experts, and many more.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0cm 0cm 8pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\">There has been much debate recently that conservation is for the rich: you need disposable income to gain experience by volunteering, to pay for higher education, and to manage your expenses when you are in the inevitable periods of unemployment. There is some truth to this, and it may take time to get a paid job in your ideal field of conservation, but there are positions available out there if you have the time and patience to look. <\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservation-careers.com\/\" style=\"color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\">Conservation Careers<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\"> is a good starting point, but I\u2019d personally also follow organisations on social media to learn about available positions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0cm 0cm 8pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\">In my experience, it has helped me to network at every possible chance and also to be clear about what I was looking for in my career progression, while also being flexible. I\u2019ve found that although, there are many transferable skills that you can learn from conservation jobs, they might not always match the ideal role you were looking for. However, you can try to make a difference by establishing your own NGO\/expedition, and seeking out like-minded people. It is also imperative to include local people in these efforts. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0cm 0cm 8pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\">There is a wealth of information available online about possible conservation-related career paths. For many conservation job updates, one option is to join your local\/national conservation organisation e.g. <\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/psgb.org\/\" style=\"color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\">Primate Society of Great Britain<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\"> or international ones like <\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/conbio.org\/\" style=\"color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\">Society for Conservation Biology<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\">. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0cm 0cm 8pt\"><span style=\"font-size:11pt\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:Calibri,sans-serif\"><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\">So there isn\u2019t one clear path, and there is no single definition of a conservation biologist. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\"><span style=\"line-height:107%\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\">However, perseverance, knowing where you want to be, and what you want to work on are the first steps. And you shouldn\u2019t be afraid to reach out to organisations and people to ask for help. Most people who are established are very aware of how hard it was for them to get started, and so they are more than willing to help.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My desire to work towards saving and conserving wildlife started when I was 10 years old. I knew I did not want to be a vet; I wanted to be outside, surrounded by nature! And although this might have seemed a bit ambitious at that time, I decided I was going to save the world! [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1380,"featured_media":33313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2414],"tags":[2674,2454],"new_categories":[],"new_tags":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-2379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiring-researcher-stories","tag-inspiration-behind-research","tag-researcher-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How I made a career in conservation biology<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dr. Susan Cheyne is Co-Director of Borneo Nature Foundation and Vice-Chair of the IUCN Section on Small Apes. 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