Rebecca Young

Author

Rebecca Young

I have always had a deep love for nature, and from a young age I wanted to work with animals. Having spent some time travelling and seeing beautiful places, but also the way humans are exploiting and destroying the planet, this grew into a passion for conservation and the desire to work to protect the world around us.

During my PhD investigating the decline of the European turtle dove, one of the UK’s most rapidly declining bird species, I completed a placement with Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, and was truly inspired by the amount this relatively small conservation organisation has achieved over the years.

Since completing my PhD I have had the privilege of joining this organisation and being part of their collaboration with the University of Oxford working on the IUCN Green Status of Species. This role helps me feel engaged with work being done across the world, as I help conservation practitioners understand how their work is contributing to species recovery.