Who is Jennie?
I've always been fascinated by animals in their natural habitat. As a child, all I watched were nature shows on PBS, and was sucked into the lives of the animals on there. I remember sobbing as I watched hyenas raid cheetah dens in Africa, and cheering when baby sea turtles made it to the water safely from the shore. I realized at a young age that whatever I ended up doing with my life, I wanted it to include animals and conservation. My early heroes were David Attenborough, Jane Goodall, and Jack Hanna. In 2004, I graduated with a degree in Biology from the University of Utah so that I could work with wildlife. While in college, I was awarded a grant to take a month-long Tropical Ecology field course in Costa Rica through the Organization for Tropical Studies at Duke University.
From the moment I set foot in the jungle, I knew I had found my home. The diversity of animal species, giant insects, sunshine and lush, incredible scenery made me fall in love with the tropics. I applied for my first volunteer project right after graduation - radio-tracking ocelots in the jungles of Belize - and was offered the position! From there I moved on to studying wild macaws at clay-licks in the Peruvian Amazon, helping with wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in Ecuadorian Amazonia, and volunteering for non-profits closer to home such as Great Salt Lake Audubon, Wildlife SOS, and the Southwest Wildlife Foundation. I’ve also worked with organizations in Europe like Save the Rhino International and Wildlife Aid. There’s never a moment when I’m not volunteering. It's kinda my thing.
Jennie of the Jungle started out as an informational blog and was originally my way of sharing the experiences I’ve had. I had the idea of turning it into a business when I was approached by a friend who asked me how to go about doing what I do. Though he didn’t have a degree in biology, he wanted a hands-on wildlife experience. I set him up with an organization in Africa, where he worked raising orphaned baby baboons for six months. This experience changed his life, and he continues to thank me to this day. At that point, I realized there was a need to set people up with projects that fit their interests and skill levels. And since I had volunteered at so many projects, I had a good network going!
Using this network of projects, organizations and individuals around the world, I can take care of all the details and get you there safely so you can start making memories that will last a lifetime. I arrange your itinerary so you're free to focus on doing your part to save the planet! And I or another one of my leaders will also volunteer right there with you. I want everyone to be able to have the life-changing experiences that I’ve had; if you’ve always wanted to see far-off places, work with wildlife, experience new cultures, and make a difference,
book an adventure with Jennie of the Jungle today!
