A lot of you have told me you’re interested in ecotourism, and I had been wanting to talk to someone who does it professionally and does it ethically. So, when  I came across Aspen S. and her red wolf guiding work, I knew she was the perfect person to ask how a career like this actually gets built, from the first idea to paying clients. 

In today’s episode of the Fancy Scientist Podcast, I sat down with Aspen S., known on Instagram as @wildlifewithaspen. Aspen is an ethical guide and educator who made the transition from working with the nonprofit Wildlands Network to owning her own ecotourism company guiding visitors to see the critically endangered red wolf and other fun critters that live in Eastern North Carolina. She is also an amazing wildlife photographer with over 55,000 followers on Instagram, and a great fit for this episode because she has built a career on her own terms and doing what she loves.

You’ll learn how Aspen was drawn to large carnivores from the start, beginning with coyotes in college. You’ll follow along her journey as a trail camera technician with the nonprofit Wildlands Network, where she learned how to tell red wolves from coyotes on camera (something very difficult for most people to do, even those in the wildlife field) and got to know the animals and the refuge. After several people suggested she try guiding, she did, and she has now been doing it for a few years!

Aspen is also a fancy scientist. She doesn’t look like a typical scientist or wildlife professional, and on her Instagram she describes herself as the swamp witch. You’ll hear where that nickname came from, and we even talk about her animal jewelry and her apartment decor.

You’ll learn exactly how she started guiding, set up her business, and what a day in her life looks like in her job. I also ask her how she exactly finds red wolves, a species with only about 30 individuals left! We go deep into red wolf conservation, including how red wolves differ from gray wolves, and what she has learned about running a social media account of her size.

We also talk about ethical wildlife tourism and ecotourism in general. If you want to see animals you love, how can you do it without causing them harm? Aspen shares tips you can use on your next trip. At the end of the episode, I share some takeaways on how you can follow your own passion, because it can be something you transition into bit by bit.