TWS member recalls early explorations on his path to a career in wildlife
My advice to anyone pursuing a degree in biology is not to rush into academic careers straight away. I value and appreciate the four years of internships, seasonal jobs and part-time contracts I had before starting my degree. These positions allowed me to develop important skills needed to work on a postgraduate or PhD in small teams or with committees with diverse views.
These positions also allowed me to travel abroad and work with endangered animals, two things I cannot do in my current position.
My first experience in Costa Rica was one of my favorites because it was one of the first situations where interns and staff felt isolated. This was due to the location – the remote fishing village was very far from the capital city of San José.
As I recall, it took me almost an hour by taxi from the airport to the bus station. Then, after almost two hours on the bus, my luggage and I were dropped off at the canal terminal, from where the ferries took another hour and a half to reach the village.
In other words, if I had to go to a hospital, it took an extremely long time to get help. This instantly made my 23-year-old self more mature and polite when dealing with strangers at work or while hiking through the rainforest.
This was also the first time I was far away from my family. Back then, iPhones weren’t widely available and occasional Skype calls over available WiFi were the only way to stay in touch. Many people now assume that remote work won’t affect them because they have 5G cell reception or can get a meal delivered by Uber Eats. But these internships can be a real test of one’s ability to work in nature and away from the amenities of the city.
So if you’re feeling pressured to get a PhD as quickly as possible, remember that there are other great wildlife jobs and internships out there waiting for you.
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