5 Reasons You Should Volunteer with Fauna Forever

I always wanted to work as a zoologist, traveling to remote places and studying animals in the wild. Before I joined Fauna Forever, I had a background in environmentalism, but flunked my biology studies. Disillusioned, I opted for the next best thing and ended up working in the film industry. At least my desire for adventure was fulfilled there. However, after a few years in the industry, I noticed that the drive to work in nature had not gone away, so I decided to give it another go. I combed the depths of the internet diligently, looking for options to do field work that went beyond entertainment for tourists. After several weeks of intense research, I discovered Fauna Forever and joined them for the first time in October 2024 for a ten week research trip to Manú National Park in Peru. The experience was so impactful that I joined them again in January 2025 for a six week trip to north-eastern Uganda. So, reflecting on my experience, here are my top 5 reasons why I would highly recommend interning with Fauna Forever to anyone interested in conservation and environmentalism!

1. Support important research

The research Fauna Forever undertakes contributes to understanding species biodiversity and population trends across the sites they work on. In Peru you will be actively contributing to the long-term monitoring project on protected sites in the Madre De Dios region. Whereas my time in Uganda provided the opportunity to get involved in biodiversity baseline data collection in an area that has had limited research conducted in the past, with the chance to identify new species for the region!

2. High standards

You will learn how to identify a wide variety of animals as well as how to take morphological measurements of them. Data is entered into a database including geolocation, species ID, morphological metrics and details about the circumstances of discovery. It is an amazing opportunity for hands-on experience under the watchful eyes of top experts that will guide you through the process. Something that really impressed me personally is that an individual animal species would rather be entered into the data base as “unknown” than guessing the closest possible species if there is still reasonable doubt, thus ensuring data integrity.

The only thing valued higher than data integrity is the welfare of the animals and those working with them. The utmost care and consideration is taken from capturing and processing through to release. At Fauna Forever, interns have the opportunity to learn how to work hands-on with bats, birds and herpetofauna with proper ethics and safety as the priority.

3. Support locals

Your volunteer fee contributions enable Fauna Forever to offer sponsored internships to students across Peru who would otherwise not be in able to participate. In addition, kitchen staff, the maintenance and logistics team and boat drivers are hired locally. 

Our work in Uganda was in partnership with Makerere University and Kara-Tunga wildlife tours, which firstly enabled Ugandan students to participate in research activities, and secondly supported a locally-rooted company working to grow ecotourism in the north-eastern regions. So through Fauna Forever, resources are directed to where they are needed, instead of going back to third parties on the other side of the planet!

4. Build a community

During your stay with Fauna Forever, you are bound to get to know people from all over the world from diverse backgrounds but all with a shared passion for wildlife and conservation. As a group, we are working in intense environments, spending a lot of time with each other. These experiences provide a great opportunity to build your own network of like-minded environmentalists. During both of my expeditions, I met researchers from five continents and fourteen countries, making new friends for life along the way! I’m looking forward to working with them again in the future.

5. Adventure

Last but not least, this line of work will offer a treasure trove of adventure. Wading across rivers in the Peruvian jungle, handling feisty bats, listening to the heartbeat of a 2.65m (~8.7ft.) long bush master, and getting chased up a tree by buffaloes (true story! I recommend listening to Chris Ketola’s retelling of the events on the “Field Stories”-podcast, episode 40) are just some of the highlights of my time with Fauna Forever. With that said, I wasn’t going in blind! Ahead of both expeditions, Chris Ketola hosted an online meeting to prepare us for what to expect, possible dangers and how to avoid them, and how to prepare for the journey, which was very reassuring.

I know how cheesy it sounds, but I really can’t recommend working with Fauna Forever enough. I learned more in just a few weeks than I otherwise would have over months back home. I got to know some of the loveliest, craziest and warmest animal nerds out there. Full disclosure; the work is hard and you will have to be ready to get used to a life without many of the comforts we usually take for granted. From sleeping in tents for weeks, clothes that just won’t dry in the humidity of the rainforest, bucket showers and compost toilets, to long nights at bat nets and early morning hikes to the bird banding station, you might well find yourself wondering why you left your comfy home! But for me, it was truly inspiring and reinvigorated my passion for wildlife and adventure. Both expeditions I joined were unique in their own ways and I will always remember them fondly despite (or maybe even because?) all the hurdles to overcome along the way! If you are passionate about nature and want to get a feel for what it means to do field research - do it, it’s absolutely worth it!

If you would like to volunteer to be part of the team during one of our research expeditions in Peru, Panama or Namibia, submit an application via our website.