Hello everybody!

I'm 23 and just graduated with an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Science. My strongest module in the 3 years was Wildlife Crimes and Forensics, and my dissertation was on the economic incentives behind the illegal wildlife trade of primates in Southeast Asia.

I want to enter this field in a practical way, but I'm finding it hard to find a pathway or ways I can enhance the skills I already have in order to get more work in the field. I know that a degree means very little without the practical experience.

I am Scottish but grew up in Brunei, Australia, Malaysia and Jordan. Whilst living in Malaysia I worked actively with as a volunteer with a wildlife rescue team, this included helping police locate and identify trafficking sites, rehabilitating animals, and identifying species. I am comfortable with harsh living standards and challenging work with no financial intensive or rewards, providing I get to do the work I love.

It's challenging understanding the pathways for this kind of career, it's been suggested I join the military as a Royal Military Police Officer to get more skills, but I would like that to be the last option on the list.

I've heard of training programs like Global Conservation Force, tacracc, and protrack, but it's hard to see if these lead to any viable work experience or career opportunities, not just me paying for 6 weeks in the bush.

Yes, I know there is plenty of administrative work, data analysis work, or office NGO work of a similar nature, programmes like ArcGIS I am confident with and is an option for a career path. But I love the outdoors, I love physical work, and I'm young, I can do the data work when I'm 40.

Love to hear people's experiences and their thoughts on what options I have, completely open to sharing more as well :))

Thanks in advance!

I did time with the Ukraine armed forces fighting in the east, I left and since leaving I have wanting to start another adventure, before going out I was employed as an ecologist how ever I don't have any qualifications (I worked as a bird spotter and with bats) as I didn't need to do my particular job.

I am currently looking to go into anti poaching, I was wounding if anyone knew as any paths into this as it all seems a bit tricky to get into, I am aware of vetpaws but they seem quite hard to get an open position.

thank you

I live in western Oregon and spend a fair amount of time on public forest roads. This weekend I ran into a hunter who specifically stated he was hunting for a sow with cubs that he had spotted in the area previously.

I asked, "So, the cubs are pretty big, then?" and he pointed to my 40-lb Border Collie and said "Little smaller than your dog."

This is what the ODFW bear hunting regs state:

Bag Limit: One black bear per tag, except that it is unlawful to take cubs less than one year old or sows with cubs less than one year old.

Is this someone/something I can report?

Will a wildlife agency do anything about it?

I have the hunter's full name, plate number, and address.

Obviously no actual crime has been committed yet, but I'm wondering if this person deserves a visit from law enforcement for a refresher on their responsibilities/obligations as a hunter? And there's a good chance that this person will commit the crime, since that's their stated intention, but I don't imagine it could be proven after the fact. We have some mandatory and optional reporting involved, but none of it would provide data about the cubs' age as far as I know.

https://preview.redd.it/kn3c2zg6e1ld1.png?width=663&format=png&auto=webp&s=a04706a311da809ed23212d94ab49e2168bf9bf4

Question those who have been poachers or involved in the Question those who have been poachers or involved in the illegal animal trade, what was your I have to quit moment?

I basically want to know if I can get paid to kill them or somehow capture them, preferably kill