Rachael
Griffiths

"The main reason for choosing this particular course was my commitment towards making a change for wildlife. Unfortunately, it feels like a never-ending cycle of battling against impactful disasters, such as coral bleaching, deforestation, as of course the major disturbance, climate change. But there is still hope."

"The modules presented on the NTU open day gave me pure excitement, knowing that this university can assist me in seeing my own potential, and lead me down a career path I am most passionate about."

"I greatly admire the study of Wildlife Population Biology (2^nd year) which covers the up-to-date approaches for assessing factors that affect both population growth and interactions performed by various species. Also, how these species can be protected and controlled. This subject is essential for undergraduates, to debate the solutions for real-world wildlife management problems."

"I also appreciate the amount of practical and volunteering opportunities presented by NTU, that any student can participate in. This is a great way to learn and perform the skills perhaps required for future jobs and discover where your passions lie. Furthermore, the fact that we get to embark on an internship or volunteering opportunities worldwide was definitely one of the biggest selling points for me and the preparation and guidance given by the Employability Team was and is a major part of my career motivation."

"While embarking on my internship in Costa Rica as a ‘Sloth Technician’, my main responsibilities were to monitor, care for and protect those adult or orphaned baby sloths that came into the rescue centre with injuries, the inability to be wild because they were involved in the illegal wildlife trade or malnourished, which is extremely difficult to monitor in sloths due to their leafy diet."

"I was also given the opportunities to create, plan and present my own projects with the ongoing support of the Toucan Rescue Ranch team. This included writing an article for the most reliable media organisation in Costa Rica (The Tico Times - SlothySunday-meet the sloth moms released and thriving), working alongside an American ornithologist with a passion for Central American birds and producing an improved Christmas bird count for 2022, and creating the popular online Parrot Oasis fundraiser (toucanrescueranch.org- adoption/parrot-oasis). I also got to interact with the local towns, forming the initial stages of a new education programme within the schools."

"Costa Rica’s progressive conservation policies and provision of vital habitats to thousands of species is admirable, and organisations such as Toucan Rescue Ranch are an inspiration to making an everlasting impact on the ecosystem, forming an ultimate ambition for me to work on future rehabilitation projects in Costa Rica. Once I had completed my internship with TRR, I was able to travel across Costa Rica and discover its hidden gems, such as the Osa Peninsula and Sarapiqui, home of the Toucan Rescue Ranch’s Release Site. With the advice and support of TRR and NTU, I was able to fulfil my experience in solo travelling and get the most out of my internship."

"My biggest takeaway from this whole experience is to never, ever give up when challenges are thrown at you. Situations can occur unexpectedly and cause massive hiccups in business and organisations across the globe. It is important for teams within this line of work to continue to face those encounters head on (as we did!). This internship has also proved that I am capable of following my passions in wildlife conservation, I am a strong individual and can do anything I set my mind to."

"You can make a difference. Be it minor or major, any efforts made for the future generations should and can be considered. I have learnt that it is important to speak up, join campaigns, projects or community groups, support valuable organisations, and make practical contributions. We are all responsible for change, we as humans are the only ones able to verbally represent our connection with wildlife and should use this to our highest ability."

"My short-term goals consist of completing my degree in Wildlife Conservation and moving onto a Masters in relation to rehabilitation and the importance of conservation protection. Furthermore, I aim to advance to a PhD in partnership with Operation Wallacea (expedition organisation) and network alongside marine biologists and fellow scuba divers on an international level. Having a specific interest and passion for rehabilitation, my long-term goals include building a career in conservation and broadening my experience in as many challenging environments as possible. Ultimately, I aspire to become an experienced and cultured conservationist."