I work as a maintenance guy – one of quite a few that work for a world wide conservation group. I spend a lot of my time time working overseas, particularly in and around Africa, China and Asia. It is, without doubt, a hugely satisfying job and incredibly varied. Just to give a little background as to how I got into it – I am a trained carpenter, one that (somehow) ended up selling used construction equipment, you know stuff like grinders, large plant machinery and power tools.
Anyway I had a guy come by the store one day, looking to buy some new (to him at least) power tools. I was showing our stock of used trenchers for sale and I got to asking him what he needed them for. Turns out that he was part of the maintenance team at the state zoo. Next thing he’s telling me they need someone to help casually, was I up for it? Withing about a year I was working there full time, and the move into conservation was more or less a quick side step.
Now I get to fly around the world, usually staying in specific conservation ‘hot-spots’ for weeks and months at a time, whilst me and a team of guys (and gals!) work on maintaining boundaries on nature reserves, doing general maintenance and repairs on buildings and grounds that are home to gamekeepers and rangers that protect the reserves and the animals that live on them.
If you’re wanting to get into working for a global conservation enterprise, the best way to go about it is to volunteer. You could do so through education led programmers, or by applying through many of the online portals that have (now) sprung up around the internet. Gaining experience in the field is by far the best way to gain full time employment.
It’s not always an easy job, whatever role you play in the preservation environment. You’re almost always thousands of miles away from home. You rarely get to see your family and friends. Sometimes you’re living in relatively isolated conditions – sometimes very inhospitable ones too! Then there’s the danger aspect – you’re working as part of a team that’s central aim is to protect endangered wildlife.
It doesn’t come much more dangerous than finding yourself in close proximity to a pack of lions or a herd of angry elephants! All the same, it is a fantastic working environment, especially when you’re sat on a game reserve, late evening, listening to the lions in the distance, the odd howl from the coyotes and watching the fabulous sunsets and sunrises.