Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka

One day I was mindlessly scrolling on Instagram and a video stopped me in my tracks. This reel was from a 26-year old with a permanent job, offering some excellent career advice, well beyond his years. I was intrigued, but when I read his bio, saying “Steve Irwin X Tupac,” I was instantly hooked! 
Landing a permanent job is tough when you are first starting out, so this is an accomplishment in itself. Some of my friends with Master’s degrees didn’t get theirs until their late 20s or early 30s, and here was this young man without an advanced degree in one at 26. 
But what also struck me was the advice he was giving. A lot of the things are not necessarily hard or complicated, but simply what most people don’t do because it does involve stepping out of your comfort zone. These are the kinds of things that actually get results, and the same kinds of things I tell my students to do, but that most people aren’t willing to do…(cough cough intentional networking)... 
And of course his style of science communication really captured my attention! With an Instagram bio that read “Steve Irwin X Tupac," I had to learn more. And what better place than the Fancy Scientist podcast? 
José Juan Rodriguez Gutierrez works on threatened and endangered species in rural Humboldt County, California (he prefers to keep the organization he works for private). His job sounds like a nature lover’s dream: getting to conduct wildlife surveys out in the forest, often setting up camera traps to understand the population dynamics of endangered species like the Humboldt marten. He’s also worked on the California Condor Recovery Program, prairie, stream, and other restoration initiatives, as well as salmon research to name a few. 
José spends most of his time in the forest and lives in a small town of less than 20,000 people, yet he grew up in Long Beach, California, a big city with millions of people and stores at every corner! 
I ask José how he was able to land a permanent job at the young age of 26 and his personal path into place that looks so different from how he grew up. We get into practical tips for starting wildlife careers as José shares his unconventional approach to networking, starting with classmates and peers rather than jumping straight to established professionals, the mentors who went beyond their job description to make a real difference for him, and how he kept his career moving during the pandemic by teaching himself GIS when fieldwork wasn't an option.
There are also some more unexpected parts of José’s journey, including one of the ways he's passionate about getting conservation messages out: combining his love of hip-hop with the wildlife world.
As a kid, he was shy and self-conscious about his accent, never picturing himself in front of a camera or a crowd. But his passion for communicating conservation superseded that, causing him to step out of his comfort zone, pursue a communication degree, practice, and hone his skills. And the results are incredible: He’s grown his Instagram to nearly 20,000 followers since I first came across him and his posts reach hundreds of thousands of people! 
José opens up about how this wasn’t always easy, and the more uncomfortable parts of building confidence and communication skills, something he had to work on early in his career. His passion for conservation overrode his insecurities, as well as his desire to reach all kinds of communities, especially the ones he is a part of.  
He’s especially intentional about communicating conservation back to his own community and other underrepresented groups historically excluded from science and nature education. As the child of immigrant parents, he felt isolated growing up, not speaking English at first, and rarely seeing anyone who looked or sounded like him in the wildlife field. Instead of leaving that part of himself behind, he wants Latino kids to see themselves in this work too. He believes they (and you!) belong in nature, even if you have not spent much time in it yet. 
You’ll see that one way José does this as well as sets himself apart from other wildlife professionals on social media is through blending messages of conservation with hip-hop culture music, lending to his "Steve Irwin X Tupac" tagline on his Instagram bio. When he received a grant from Save the Redwoods League to study California condor reintroduction, he even made one of his three deliverables a hip-hop song about the species.
You're going to walk away from this interview inspired, excited, and with a huge smile on your face, because not only is José’s journey inspirational, but he's also super funny, has a diverse range of interests, and is beyond passionate about this field. He provided so many amazing tips, many of which I share with my own students, so make sure you stay tuned to the end, where I break down the most important concepts to take away to give yourself the competitive edge in this field.
I’m so inspired by this episode that maybe I’ll add “Elle Woods x Jane Goodall” to my Instagram bio.
Specifically, we go over:
What José does on a day-to-day basis working on endangered species conservation in a remote landscape
How José landed a permanent job so young; his tips and and the unconventional, yet simple actions he took that lead him to success
How José went from living in one of the biggest cities in the US to working in a remote field location and what it’s like
How Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) became his first form of mentorship and helped him navigate applying to college
Why communication is so critical in conservation especially to groups historically excluded from the sciences, a necessity and not a luxury
Why it’s important to include creative messaging and his style of blending hip-hop and conservation, including his record about California condors. Why "Steve Irwin X Tupac" perfectly describes his approach to conservation communication
His approach to networking, starting with peers before reaching out to more established professionals
The mentors who shaped his path, including a high school teacher with a Ph.D. who chose to teach in an underserved community
José’s unstoppable and “can do” attitude: How he kept his career moving during the pandemic when everything shut down by teaching himself GIS
How he honed his communication skills by practicing and speaking by talking to himself in the mirror
His process for creating the short-form videos that have grown his following like wildfire
Why no job is truly permanent, and how to build a career that can adapt
And MORE!

Jump Links
5:13 Working in wildlife: camera traps, condors, and field life
13:52 The reality of seasonal jobs and low pay in conservation
15:00 Optimism amid a competitive job market
16:39 How José got into wildlife (from TV to career)
17:36 Family, toys, and childhood influences
20:22 Blending hip-hop and conservation
26:22 Curiosity as the core scientific skill
30:47 Landing a permanent job (after 3 tries)
32:27 Internships, mentors, and getting a foot in the door
39:29 Networking tips that actually work
50:51 His social media process and mindset
53:45 Outro and key takeaways 

Dream of being a wildlife biologist, zoologist, conservation biologist, or ecologist? Ready to turn your love of animals into a thriving career?🌿🐘 Then…
🐾 Get my FREE Weekly Wildlife Wrap-Up where every Friday, I share strategies on how to stand out and get hired in wildlife, conservation, and environmental careers using a framework that's landed my students permanent jobs, internships, and more: https://stephanieschuttler.podia.com/wildlife-wrap-up
📚 Read Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology: What It’s Like and What You Need to Know: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Job-Wildlife-Biology-What/dp/B08JDYXS4G/
I’m Dr. Stephanie Manka (formerly Schuttler), a wildlife biologist of 20 yrs who is on a mission to empower wildlife professionals and break stereotypes of scientists so they can get jobs, live out their life’s purpose, and make a difference in this world.
🎥 How I became a wildlife biologist: https://youtu.be/zBvHRDO7gIg 
Full show notes:
https://stephanieschuttler.com/fancy-scientist-podcast-159-jose-juan-rodriguez/
Let’s connect! 🤝✨
Website: https://fancyscientist.com/
Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettingajobinwildlifebiology
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FancyScientist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fancy_scientist/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgschuttler/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fancyscientist/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FancyScientist
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fancy_scientist
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fancyscientist.bsky.social
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fancyscientist/

Have you been applying and applying to wildlife jobs or experiences only to hear nothing back? That’s exactly what happened to Dylan Karl despite having a degree from a prestigious university specializing in wildlife, a Master’s degree, years of experience, and a wildlife biologist certification from The Wildlife Society. Dylan had seemingly everything, yet, he was applying to 30-50 jobs every season, but nothing was landing. 
Dylan’s story is even more unique. Dylan was one of my Successful Wildlife Professional students, and when I first started working with him, he was working in a wildlife job, but unhappy. He felt that although he was technically involved in wildlife work mitigating damage at airports, he wasn’t having the impact he wanted, and felt like he was spending a lot more time killing wildlife rather than saving it. 
So Dylan decided to join the Successful Wildlife Professional program and get help. And it paid off almost instantly! Within two months of the program, he applied for and got his dream job of working with Mexican wolves. This was a huge win and we were both so excited for his future! Because of these incredible results, I knew I had to have him on the Fancy Scientist podcast to share. 
But when I interviewed him, I was surprised he was no longer working there! It turns out that his story took an unexpected turn. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for reality to not match up with expectations in our field… 
Dylan had always imagined himself as a bridge between wildlife and people, helping manage conflict and promote coexistence. But what he thought was a non-lethal position in Arizona turned out to not be so non-lethal after all, due to pressure from ranchers pushing for the lethal removal of federally protected wolves. This didn't sit right with him, and that misalignment caused him to rethink what he actually wanted out of his career.
Luckily, he had the tools he learned from the Successful Wildlife Professional to lean back on. He used the trainings on understanding the jobs and workplaces and personal exercises to uncover his own desires and strengths to re-identify his dream job. He combined this with the wildlife-specific protocols in the application section to write competitive cover letters and resumes for his new dream path. 
He now works as a Preserve Management Assistant for the prestigious The Nature Conservancy in northwestern Minnesota, helping to manage approximately 300,000 acres of tallgrass aspen parklands through tools like prescribed burns and seed spreading. Every morning he wakes up feeling like he's taking care of the animals he loves’ homes.
Dylan also gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work at the Nature Conservancy and what prescribed fire management actually looks like, including how burning 400 acres of land can transform a smothered wetland into one teeming with native wildflowers, frogs, fish, and water birds just a month later. 
After the interview, I break down the key takeaways so you can apply them to your own path, including why "proven experience" beats just experience, why knowing your end goal changes everything, and why the workplace you choose matters just as much as the work itself.
Specifically, we talk about:
Dylan's winding path from watching Steve Irwin as a kid in Cincinnati to managing 300,000 acres with The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota
His experiences with the Peace Corps, the Cincinnati Zoo, wind turbine curtailment, spotted owl research, and USDA Wildlife Services
What it felt like to be in a position that looked good on paper but isn’t aligned with your values
How you can still work in wildlife, but not feel like you are following your dream or having the impact you want
The gap between the Steve Irwin version of a wildlife career and what most wildlife jobs actually look like
Why sending 30 to 50 applications a season and taking the first offer isn't a career strategy
What caused Dylan to break through and land his dream job on Mexican wolves within a couple of months
How Dylan used The Successful Wildlife Professional to get clear on what he actually wanted and land the Nature Conservancy job
His tips for landing a job with The Nature Conservancy, including why seasonal positions are the right entry point
How prescribed fire is used as a conservation tool, and what it's like to return to a burned unit a month later and find it thriving with life
The spotted owl courtship behavior story you didn't know you needed
And more!

Jumps Links
3:28 Meet Dylan Karl
4:50 Dylan's Winding Career Path
5:24 Working at The Nature Conservancy
6:26 Prescribed Fire & Conservation
11:40 Dylan's Education & Background
15:25 Peace Corps, Zoo Work & Master's Degree
18:45 Working for USDA Wildlife Services
22:51 The Non-Lethal Wolf Job That Wasn't
24:19 Landing at The Nature Conservancy
27:37 Is There a Bait & Switch in Wildlife Careers?
31:46 Why Dylan Joined Successful Wildlife Professional
32:36 Carpet Bombing Applications & Career Misalignment
35:32 Finding His Dream: Habitat Management
40:31 A Moment of Success in the Field
42:36 What Makes Dylan a Fancy Scientist
45:20 The Owl That Defended Her Mate
46:49 How to Get a Job at The Nature Conservancy
49:18 Is the SWP Program Worth It?

Dream of being a wildlife biologist, zoologist, conservation biologist, or ecologist? Ready to turn your love of animals into a thriving career?🌿🐘 Then…
🐾 Get my FREE Weekly Wildlife Wrap-Up where every Friday, I share strategies on how to stand out and get hired in wildlife, conservation, and environmental careers using a framework that's landed my students permanent jobs, internships, and more: https://stephanieschuttler.podia.com/wildlife-wrap-up
📚 Read Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology: What It’s Like and What You Need to Know: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Job-Wildlife-Biology-What/dp/B08JDYXS4G/
I’m Dr. Stephanie Manka (formerly Schuttler), a wildlife biologist of 20 yrs who is on a mission to empower wildlife professionals and break stereotypes of scientists so they can get jobs, live out their life’s purpose, and make a difference in this world.
🎥 How I became a wildlife biologist: https://youtu.be/zBvHRDO7gIg 
Full show notes:
https://stephanieschuttler.com/fancy-scientist-podcast-158-dylan-karl/
Let’s connect! 🤝✨
Website: https://fancyscientist.com/
Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettingajobinwildlifebiology
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FancyScientist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fancy_scientist/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgschuttler/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fancyscientist/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FancyScientist
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fancy_scientist
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fancyscientist.bsky.social
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fancyscientist/

What if I told you that most jobs in wildlife, conservation, and environmental science aren't directly in research? Would you be shocked? Well, it's true! And that's exactly what I talk about in this episode of the Fancy Scientist Podcast. 
When most people think of wildlife work, they think of jobs in wildlife research. Those are jobs where you pose questions or objectives, and then collect, process, and analyze data to address them. But when you compare these jobs to all of the others in the realm of wildlife, conservation, and environmental sciences work, they are actually in the minority. 
I am calling these non- ”traditional” jobs wildlife research-adjacent work or even just wildlife-adjacent jobs, even though they relate to conservation and the environmental sciences, and some are definitely in the wildlife field. 
This was a topic suggested by members of my Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology Facebook group a couple of years ago because there is strong interest in them, so I thought it would be the perfect topic to take a deep dive into for the podcast because it is a big one. 
In fact, it’s WAY too much to cover in just an episode. This is by no means a full list, and there’s not enough time to go into them in-depth. For example, in my group mentoring program, the Successful Wildlife Professional, we spend at least 30 minutes for each job and organization type. 
I’ll walk you through the major categories: data analytical and processing roles like GIS, statistics, lab work, and computer science; communications, outreach, fundraising, and education jobs; wildlife health careers, rehab, and vet work; zookeeping; more environmental science roles in water quality, forestry, and agriculture; corporate sustainability positions; and outdoor recreation jobs. 
But first, before you even consider a wildlife-adjacent job, I ask you to question WHY you’re pursuing one of these jobs in the first place. Is it because it is truly a job you want? Or is it because you feel like you can’t get the job you really do want? 
In my experience working with individuals seeking these kinds of jobs, it’s usually the latter, and if that’s the case, I encourage you to go after what it is you really want because this is a fixable problem. I identify the two big reasons that people can’t get wildlife jobs in the first place and what you can do about them. 
Finally, I'll leave you with this: wildlife jobs have a reputation for being competitive and low-paying, but that's not universal, especially when you consider adjacent jobs. In a recent podcast interview with Patrick Rainey of Ducks Unlimited, we talked about some wetlands restoration jobs that are in demand and also well-paying. So if getting a high salary is important to you, you might want to explore wildlife-adjacent work. 
Specifically, we cover:
What "wildlife-adjacent" work means and how it differs from traditional research careers
The two biggest reasons people fail to land wildlife jobs, and why that matters before you consider an adjacent path
When pursuing a wildlife-adjacent job is a smart move even if it’s not what you really want, and how to prevent it from becoming a trap
Analytics jobs, including GIS, statistics, lab work, and computer science roles
Communications, outreach, fundraising, and education jobs, including science writing and ecotourism
Wildlife health careers like rehabilitation and vet work
Zoo and aquarium roles outside of research 
Environmental science jobs in water quality, forestry, agriculture, and more
Museum work
Corporate sustainability roles, even within companies you wouldn't expect to have a conservation focus, and how this can indeed make a big difference for wildlife 
Outdoor recreation jobs
Why some wildlife-adjacent fields are actually in high demand
And more!

Jump links:
2:21 What Are Wildlife Research-Adjacent Jobs?
4:25 Common Job Search Mistakes
16:19 Data & Analytics Jobs
21:39 Communications & Education Jobs
28:19 Wildlife Rehab & Vet Careers
30:51 Zookeeping & Aquariums
35:11 Forestry, Agriculture & Museums
37:05 Private Sector and Corporations
37:47 Final Takeaways
Dream of being a wildlife biologist, zoologist, conservation biologist, or ecologist? Ready to turn your love of animals into a thriving career?🌿🐘 Then…
🐾 Get my FREE Weekly Wildlife Wrap-Up where every Friday, I share strategies on how to stand out and get hired in wildlife, conservation, and environmental careers using a framework that's landed my students permanent jobs, internships, and more: https://stephanieschuttler.podia.com/wildlife-wrap-up
📚 Read Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology: What It’s Like and What You Need to Know: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Job-Wildlife-Biology-What/dp/B08JDYXS4G/
I’m Dr. Stephanie Manka (formerly Schuttler), a wildlife biologist of 20 yrs who is on a mission to empower wildlife professionals and break stereotypes of scientists so they can get jobs, live out their life’s purpose, and make a difference in this world.
🎥 How I became a wildlife biologist: https://youtu.be/zBvHRDO7gIg 
Full show notes:
https://stephanieschuttler.com/fancy-scientist-podcast-157-wildlife-adjacent-jobs/
Let’s connect! 🤝✨
Website: https://fancyscientist.com/
Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettingajobinwildlifebiology
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FancyScientist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fancy_scientist/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgschuttler/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fancyscientist/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FancyScientist
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fancy_scientist
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fancyscientist.bsky.social
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fancyscientist/

Do zoos actually help conservation? Contribute to wildlife research? Or are they mostly to entertain people? 
A couple of years ago, I did a podcast interview all about zoos, and I thought this would be a great topic for my own podcast due to the complexity. It’s not a straightforward answer…
In fact, during the pandemic, when we were all watching The Tiger King, I did a whole blog post series on the ethics and research impacts of zoos, and these are still some of my most popular posts!
Zoos were originally built purely for entertainment and were the only way most people could see an exotic animal. Placed in cement cages or concrete pits, animals were there to fascinate, but at the expense of their well-being. 
But as scientists and the public have learned more about animals, some zoos began to change. There are now high-quality institutions running genuine conservation science, captive breeding programs, and research on wild animal populations.
But unfortunately, not all zoos have stepped up. There are still dilapidated roadside attractions where animals are locked in cement cages, might be forced to do unnatural and harmful tricks, or be bred to have a constant supply of babies for tourists to pose with for photos, and with nowhere to go once they get older. 
These zoos might do things that they call research, but really, this is a form of greenwashing so that they can use these small projects to justify their money-making operations from animals. 
On the flip side, I talk about how zoos genuinely contribute to conservation. For example, conducting real research on animals outside of their zoo population, providing genetic safety nets, and captive breeding animals like the black-footed ferret and golden lion tamarin from the brink of extinction. 
In this episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, I’m going to walk you through zoos so that you can understand these differences, as well as offer some guidelines so that you can make an informed decision for yourself. I break down what separates a good zoo from a bad one, and the gray areas in between. 
I also address the harder question of whether zoos change people's minds. Many claim that zoos educate the public about wildlife, but just because they present information doesn’t mean that people take it in or take conservation actions…Those are much harder to change. I talk about a meta-analysis of 56 studies on visitor attitudes after zoo visits, plus how zoos like Cheyenne Mountain Zoo are trying to close the gap between education and action with things like their sustainable palm oil initiative.
And because this podcast is always about helping you build a wildlife career, I offer an overview of the different kinds of roles that you can obtain for employment, as well as my own behind-the-scenes experience, where I monitored elephant pregnancy hormones and worked on reproductive research for cotton-top tamarins.
You’ll get a rundown of the career paths zoos actually offer: zookeeping, education, communications, research, and creative roles like videography, plus wildlife-adjacent jobs in finance, fundraising, and law. I also explain what kinds of zoo work won’t help your wildlife career, no matter how much hands-on animal experience it seems to offer.
Specifically, we talk about:
The history of zoos, and how they evolved from pure entertainment into institutions that can contribute to research, education, and conservation
The clear signs that separate an ethical zoo from an unethical one including enrichment, keeper barriers, and whether the public is allowed to touch wild animals
Why Tiger King-style roadside zoos like Myrtle Beach Safari don't count as real conservation work, and how to spot greenwashing when a zoo claims to "support conservation"
Why zoo populations serve as a safety net for species with critically small wild populations
Real conservation success stories through captive breeding, including golden lion tamarins and black-footed ferrets
The behind-the-scenes research zoos do that visitors never see, including my own experience monitoring elephant hormones as a Disney's Animal Kingdom intern
Whether zoos actually succeed at changing visitor attitudes and behavior toward conservation, and what the research says
The strongest arguments against zoos
An overview of wildlife career paths at zoos: zookeeping, education, communications, research, creative and media roles, and wildlife-adjacent careers like finance, fundraising, and law
And MORE!

Jump links:
1:52 Tiger King during COVID
4:59 History of zoos: from pure entertainment to modern standards
7:28 Roadside zoos & Tiger King-style operations
8:08 Signs of an ethical zoo: no touching wild animals, enrichment, barriers
13:00 Captive breeding & maintaining genetic diversity
15:10 Reintroduction programs & minimizing human contact
16:37 Personal experience at Disney's Animal Kingdom (elephant endocrine research)
20:31 Zoos & education: Do they change attitudes toward wildlife?
23:47 The argument against zoos
25:49 AZA accreditation & evolving zoo standards
27:56 Careers in zoos overview
33:02 Outro & upcoming free training: The Four Faux Paws

Dream of being a wildlife biologist, zoologist, conservation biologist, or ecologist? Ready to turn your love of animals into a thriving career?🌿🐘 Then…
🐾 Get my FREE Weekly Wildlife Wrap-Up where every Friday, I share strategies on how to stand out and get hired in wildlife, conservation, and environmental careers using a framework that's landed my students permanent jobs, internships, and more: https://stephanieschuttler.podia.com/wildlife-wrap-up
📚 Read Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology: What It’s Like and What You Need to Know: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Job-Wildlife-Biology-What/dp/B08JDYXS4G/
I’m Dr. Stephanie Manka (formerly Schuttler), a wildlife biologist of 20 yrs who is on a mission to empower wildlife professionals and break stereotypes of scientists so they can get jobs, live out their life’s purpose, and make a difference in this world.
🎥 How I became a wildlife biologist: https://youtu.be/zBvHRDO7gIg 
Full show notes:
👉https://stephanieschuttler.com/fancy-scientist-podcast-156-zoos/
Let’s connect! 🤝✨
Website: https://fancyscientist.com/
Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettingajobinwildlifebiology
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FancyScientist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fancy_scientist/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgschuttler/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fancyscientist/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FancyScientist
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fancy_scientist
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fancyscientist.bsky.social
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fancyscientist/

As a wildlife biologist, you have incredible moments with animals that are nearly impossible for other people to experience. But you also do some pretty crazy, strange, and downright WEIRD things.
In my 17 years working in the field across four continents and for a variety of organizations, I've had experiences that range from terrifying to awe-inspiring to disgusting. So in this episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, I'm sharing my top ten with you! Plus, you’ll get a couple of bonus memories. 
The show notes for this episode will be really short because I don’t want to give away too much, but I’ll take you on my adventures from Central Africa to Central Missouri, and from the suburbs to remote mountaintops. You’ll learn about the most dangerous things that I did, the (multiple) scary animal encounters that I had, and how I felt like I was living in an Indian Jones movie at times.
You’ll hear about encounters with lions and tigers and (no bears, sorry), but other animals!
Specifically, I go over:
My top ten moments in my 17 years of working as a wildlife biologist, including the scariest, most awe-inspiring, rare, weirdest, and more
The unexpected things I never thought I would do as a wildlife biologist
Why wildlife biologists have to do some really weird things for research
How my perception of what was scary changed over time
Psychologically scary vs what’s really scary
The scariest moment of my entire life
And much, much more! I don’t want to give too much away

Whether you want to work in wildlife professionally, you're already in the field, or you simply love wild animals and wild places, you'll walk away from this episode inspired to go explore the natural world, whether it’s traveling to a new country or taking a deep dive in the green spaces in your neighborhood. Nature is everywhere and ready for you to explore. 

Jump Links:
00:00 Intro and why I'm doing superlatives
03:42 Most scary, early career
09:17 Most awe-inspiring
12:58 Most psychologically scary
15:03 Feeling most like a wildlife biologist
17:53 Most Indiana Jones
21:55 Closest animal encounter
23:59 Most rare and unique
26:12 Most dangerous
29:28 Weirdest
32:21 Scariest moment of my life
39:33 Bonus moment 1
41:42 Bonus moment 2
Dream of being a wildlife biologist, zoologist, conservation biologist, or ecologist? Ready to turn your love of animals into a thriving career?🌿🐘 Then…
🐾 Get my FREE Weekly Wildlife Wrap-Up where every Friday, I share strategies on how to stand out and get hired in wildlife, conservation, and environmental careers using a framework that's landed my students permanent jobs, internships, and more: https://stephanieschuttler.podia.com/wildlife-wrap-up
📚 Read Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology: What It’s Like and What You Need to Know: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Job-Wildlife-Biology-What/dp/B08JDYXS4G/
I’m Dr. Stephanie Manka (formerly Schuttler), a wildlife biologist of 20 yrs who is on a mission to empower wildlife professionals and break stereotypes of scientists so they can get jobs, live out their life’s purpose, and make a difference in this world.
🎥 How I became a wildlife biologist: https://youtu.be/zBvHRDO7gIg 
Full show notes:
👉https://stephanieschuttler.com/fancy-scientist-podcast-155-wildest-wildlife/
Let’s connect! 🤝✨
Website: https://fancyscientist.com/
Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettingajobinwildlifebiology
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FancyScientist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fancy_scientist/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgschuttler/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fancyscientist/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FancyScientist
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fancy_scientist
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fancyscientist.bsky.social
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fancyscientist/