Working in the wild - Vol 6 Sneak Peek

Working in conservation can be highly rewarding and can offer incredible wildlife experiences. However, it does come with a unique set of challenges. Join Rachel Davies as she takes a look at some of these challenges and speaks to individuals working in the wild.

Article by: Rachel Davies

Artwork by: Katie de Lusignan

When I began studying conservation, I often pictured my working life like an episode of a David Attenborough program. I imagined travelling to far-flung places and working with exotic species.

It was during my early career that I realised there was actually a lot of merit to staying in the UK, my home country, to work. We have a surprising number of roles here that allow us to work in the wild and I’ve been lucky enough to sample a few over my years in the conservation sector.

Although I stayed put in the UK, some of my fellow classmates did move abroad and follow a more David Attenborough-esque lifestyle.

Despite the geographical location, working in rural and remote areas comes with its challenges and these seem to be uniform across the board. Read on to find out what some of these are, and how they can be overcome.

Location

When we think about working in the wild, we often imagine rural settings or even better -  remote locations such as in the Scottish Highlands, or  a small coastal island - and it is often true that you get to visit some wonderfully remote places for work, even in the UK.

Craig Macadam, Conservation Director for Buglife, shares some of the wilder work he does:

‘There can be few harsher places in the UK than the Cairngorms in the depths of winter. Thick snow coats the ground, ice encrusts the watercourses, and the temperature regularly drops to a chilly -15 degrees Celsius or less. Despite these harsh conditions the ice-bound streams are alive with freshwater invertebrates. It’s one of these specially adapted species that takes me to the Cairngorms every year. 

As water temperatures rise due to climate change, the Upland Summer Mayfly (Ameletus inopinatus) has been reversing further and further upstream to cooler waters. Sampling here has its problems though. Frostbite is a real concern. Sorting the sample also has its challenges as the water surface freezes instantly in the sampling tray. Despite this, the mayflies continue to go about their usual business, even walking upside down the underside of the ice, earning them the nickname “Icewalker”.’

However, for some people, travelling to these remote places isn’t so easy. This can be for several reasons but may include lack of a licence, lack of a vehicle, lack of public transport and/or lack of funds. So, for those who want to work in wild places but face these transportation challenges, what can they do?

Well, firstly, it is important to remember that wild doesn’t always mean remote! There are many roles within the urban wildlife sector, and these can often be incredibly important and varied positions.

If you prefer to stay away from towns and cities, there are positions at field centres that can take you to more rural and remote places, without the need to drive. Field centres often have positions where no travel is required once you’ve reached the centre - and they exist all over the world.

Gino Brignoli, Biodiversity Officer at Cody Dock, shares his thoughts on being successful in conservation without needing to drive:

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