Hi, Danielle here!
Like many of you reading this, I am a conservationist and animal welfare activist passionate about making a difference in our changing world. Here’s a bit about my journey into the field.
Bachelor’s in Animal Sciences
I grew up in the Seattle area and attended Washington State University (go cougs), where I got my bachelor’s degree in animal sciences with a minor in French. During college, I traveled to Thailand as a pre-veterinary student to work in various veterinary and conservation environments. One of these included an elephant sanctuary, during which time I found myself falling more and more in love with these amazing pachyderms every day and becoming incredibly passionate about their plight and exploitation in Thailand. This experience shaped my outlook on conservation as well as my future.
Master’s in Conservation Medicine
After this experience, I decided to apply to graduate school to get a master’s degree in conservation medicine. This grad program brought me to the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Massachusetts and trained me in conservation methods while challenging my view of the world. This graduate program prepared me for a career in conservation and opened my mind and heart to so many conservation issues and social injustices that require more attention. Toward the end of graduate school, I received funding to do research at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary (BLES). This research brought me to the jungle for three months, where I worked alongside some incredible conservationists and animals. You can read my full master’s dissertation here.
Serving Elephants in Nepal
Following graduate school, I headed to Nepal with the continued mission of improving the lives of captive elephants as an independent researcher. After seeing how much mahouts struggle to manage bull elephants in captive environments, and subsequently, how poor their welfare can get, I shifted my research focus toward bull elephant management. In collaboration with both local Nepali groups and other US researchers, I have been working on a research paper focusing on bull elephant management protocol to improve welfare and optimize mahout safety.
In 2022, The Call to Conserve evolved into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to expand our impact. The organization is now working on the ground to improve captive elephant welfare, with a strong focus still on bull elephants. Learn more about our current project caring for a bull elephant named Ramu here.
I believe that to conserve the planet and all the beautiful (and not-so-beautiful) species living here, education is critical. So whether you found us through the blog, or through one of our field projects, I hope The Call to Conserve’s mission sparks your passion for animal welfare and conservation! Together, we can make change; everyone’s small steps make a difference!