A Long Time Coming

I'm an animal person. There is no clear memory of when it started; only that my childhood days spent crawling through the snow for miles, floating around lakes on rotting logs, and trailing my family through the backwoods of Michigan made me feel like an animal...and that felt right.

By the time I was 5 years old, every person in my life knew what I wanted to be when I grew up: a veterinarian. To everyone's surprise, this never changed. My first job at 16 was in an animal clinic, and I continued working as a veterinarian assistant through high school and college. I loved the work- especially the medical aspect of it- but there was something missing that I couldn't quite put my finger on. As I got to know myself and the profession I had chosen, I realized there was no way I could spend my life writing patient histories, consulting clients, and paying bills. And let's be honest- I didn't have the grades for it anyway.

After a life with one unwavering goal, the new abundance of options before me felt overwhelming. I left my program at Michigan State University with two B.Sc. degrees and not a clue what to do next. 

Enter: the conservation corps. I served two terms with WisCorps and Conservation Corps MN/IA, where I learned hard skills like trailering, chainsaw operation, habitat restoration techniques, and much more. I had found a new passion for fieldwork, but something was still missing. I eventually stumbled upon the Texas A&M job board and the awkward surprise that the world of wildlife research even existed. Finally my joy in nature, love of science, and connection with animals could be combined into one career.  

I worked seasonally for various wildlife research projects throughout the country and over several years before landing on the Washington Predator-Prey Project in 2018, with fieldwork occurring in the Methow Valley, WA. It was here that I met Carmen, Becca, and many others that would transform this beautiful valley into my home.

With carnivore fieldwork as my main focus, I have worked with and mentored many young biologists with one general commonality: no one prepared us for this. The field can be an intimidating and, sometimes, dangerous place. My goal in co-founding Home Range Wildlife Research is to help new biologists and technicians gain the skills to feel comfortable and confident in the field so they can improve the quality of the research they perform throughout their career. 

Anna is co-founder and Education Director for Home Range Wildlife Research. Read more about her role in the organization here.