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PODCAST

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka

Dr. Stephanie Schuttler, the Fancy Scientist, is a wildlife biologist who loves breaking stereotypes and talking about the natural world. In this podcast, she shares her knowledge of animals, experiences as a wildlife biologist, and simple lifestyle choices you can make to conserve nature. Her 17 years in wildlife biology taught her that science alone cannot save species. We need to take collective action through simple things we can do every day. This podcast is for anyone who likes animals and

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All Episodes

49:04

Building a Wildlife Career Without Breaking the Bank:...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/09/29

If you're considering a career in wildlife, conservation, or environmental sciences, you've probably heard that these fields don't pay well and even that you have to be wealthy to make it. But surely, there must be regular folks making it in wildlife careers? Can you really make a living? Pay your bills and raise a family? Or are you doomed to be broke forever if you pursue a career you love in this field?Making wildlife and related careers work financially is one of those topics that we

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64:11

Landing a Permanent Wildlife Job with Steve Irwin x...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/09/08

One day I was mindlessly scrolling on Instagram and a video stopped me in my tracks. This reel was from a 26-year old with a permanent job, offering some excellent career advice, well beyond his years. I was intrigued, but when I read his bio, saying “Steve Irwin X Tupac,” I was instantly hooked! Landing a permanent job is tough when you are first starting out, so this is an accomplishment in itself. Some of my friends with Master’s degrees didn’t get theirs until their late 20s or early 30s, and

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59:38

When Your "Dream Job" Isn't What You Thought: Finding...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/08/25

Have you been applying and applying to wildlife jobs or experiences only to hear nothing back? That’s exactly what happened to Dylan Karl despite having a degree from a prestigious university specializing in wildlife, a Master’s degree, years of experience, and a wildlife biologist certification from The Wildlife Society. Dylan had seemingly everything, yet, he was applying to 30-50 jobs every season, but nothing was landing. Dylan’s story is even more unique. Dylan was one of my Successful Wildlife

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39:43

What are Wildlife Research-Adjacent Jobs and Should...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/07/28

What if I told you that most jobs in wildlife, conservation, and environmental science aren't directly in research? Would you be shocked? Well, it's true! And that's exactly what I talk about in this episode of the Fancy Scientist Podcast. When most people think of wildlife work, they think of jobs in wildlife research. Those are jobs where you pose questions or objectives, and then collect, process, and analyze data to address them. But when you compare these jobs to all of the others

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33:49

Do Zoos Help Conservation? Research, Ethics, and Careers

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/07/14

Do zoos actually help conservation? Contribute to wildlife research? Or are they mostly to entertain people? A couple of years ago, I did a podcast interview all about zoos, and I thought this would be a great topic for my own podcast due to the complexity. It’s not a straightforward answer…In fact, during the pandemic, when we were all watching The Tiger King, I did a whole blog post series on the ethics and research impacts of zoos, and these are still some of my most popular posts!Zoos were

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44:59

My WILDEST Wildlife Biologist Moments

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/06/23

As a wildlife biologist, you have incredible moments with animals that are nearly impossible for other people to experience. But you also do some pretty crazy, strange, and downright WEIRD things.In my 17 years working in the field across four continents and for a variety of organizations, I've had experiences that range from terrifying to awe-inspiring to disgusting. So in this episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, I'm sharing my top ten with you! Plus, you’ll get a couple of bonus

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48:10

Don't Shoot the Messenger: Navigating AI in Wildlife...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/06/09

AI seems like it’s EVERYWHERE nowadays, and I know if you’re a conservationist like me, you’re concerned about its environmental impacts, and maybe even avoiding it because of them…But I recently read an article that scared the bejesus out of me. It basically stated: AI is here, and those who don’t know how to use it well, WILL be left behind. And then I realized, AI is already here, not just in our everyday lives (you can’t run a Google search without it), but it’s also here in wildlife work. Big

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44:27

Not Accepting No! Succeeding at Wildlife Careers with...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/05/26

Do you want a wildlife, conservation, or environmental sciences career, but feel that it is not physically possible for you? Do you have health challenges or a condition that limits you and are worried that it prevents you from working in a field that is notoriously demanding? Or do you feel discriminated against because of these circumstances? You are not alone! I have heard from aspiring wildlife biologists all over the world that they struggle with conditions like chronic fatigue, anxiety, sight

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56:07

Age is Just a Number! Breaking into the National Park...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/05/12

Do you have a lingering desire to start a wildlife career, but feel like it might be too late for you? Or maybe you’re working on a wildlife career, but it isn’t working for you, and time just keeps passing by? You got the degree, but then life got in the way, and you even had to get a non-wildlife job to pay the bills…Well, I’m here to tell you that whether you’re 25, 45, or older, a wildlife career IS still possible for you (and yes, I get by 25-year-olds who think they are too late), and this

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54:04

From Passive to Proactive: Making Your Wildlife...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/03/23

How do you actually make your wildlife career happen when you feel like you’ve missed your window? You got the degree, maybe even got some temporary jobs here and there, but you felt like you weren’t getting traction. Or couldn’t see how it could all come together. And time just keeps ticking away…That’s exactly how my former Successful Wildlife Professional student, Makeela Magomolla, was feeling before she joined my group mentoring program. Even though she was young at 25, the world was taken over

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57:22

No Experience, No problem! Building a Wildlife Career...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/03/14

Christina Weber did what most aspiring wildlife professionals think is impossible: she got every single offer she applied to with absolutely NO EXPERIENCE! How did she do it? That’s what this week’s episode of the Fancy Scientist Podcast is all about. After listening to this episode, I know you’ll walk away inspired, ready to take action, and make things happen in your career so that you can work towards having a real impact on the species that need our help.I invited my former Successful Wildlife

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69:02

From Flour Beetles to Forest Elephants: My 20 Year...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/03/08

I’ve recently gained a lot of new followers, so for this week’s episode of the Fancy Scientist Podcast, I wanted to share with you my vast experience that I’ve had working as a wildlife biologist for nearly twenty years, so that you can fully understand what this field is like.My career has taken me all over the world, and I’ve been on all different kinds of adventures: from hiking the deserts of Utah to the top of Mount Kenya, and from flour beetles to forest elephants. I have worked across four

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65:13

Building a Wildlife Career on Your Own Terms:...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/02/21

Normally when I do an interview for the Fancy Scientist podcast, it’s me interviewing a guest. But for this week’s episode, I’m flipping the script and the guest is….yours truly: Me!!You see, last year I was interviewed by my friend and fellow podcaster Andrew Lewin, who hosts the How to Protect the Ocean Podcast. Because I had such a great time chatting with him and my audience has grown so much recently, I thought It would be a great opportunity for you to get to know me more so that you can learn

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7:16

Observing Nature Through TOUCH | Wildlife Biology for...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/02/16

Making observations in nature isn’t just about what we see. Scientists use (almost) all of their senses to make observations, and in this video, we are focusing on the sense of touch. After exploring nature through sight, sound, and smell, it’s now time to focus on the textures of nature and discover how different plants, surfaces, and organisms actually feel. Make sure to watch the ENTIRE video and read ALL of the text here for best practices for you and wildlife, as well as helpful apps to

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6:08

Smell of the Wild: Observing Nature with Your Nose

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/02/05

Scientists use most of their senses to conduct observations, a critical step in conducting research, and one of those senses is SMELL. We might not think of nature as being smelly, but we get so many of our everyday smells from nature. From the scents in our perfumes, deodorants, or candles to bringing nature into our homes to change the smell (think flowers or pine branches during the holidays) to our cleaning products, nature provides an abundance of smells. In this video, you'll learn about

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5:50

LISTEN Like a Scientist: Tips & Tools | Wildlife...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/01/21

Today, we're tuning into the world of animal sounds and learning to observe nature like true scientists. We'll sharpen our sense of SOUND, and I'll introduce an activity to close your eyes and listen to the natural world around you. Once you start REALLY listening, you'll be amazed at how noisy our world really is. You'll likely hear birds, mammals, and, depending on the time of year, insects and maybe even herps like amphibians!You'll also notice how much noise HUMANS make

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7:42

Learn Animal Behavior with Squirrels | Wildlife...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2026/01/13

Animal behavior is one of my FAVORITE topics, and we’re studying it through an animal you’ve probably seen a thousand times but never truly observed: squirrels!Why squirrels? They’re abundant, easy and fun to watch (one of my friends called them “our” monkeys), and perfect for learning how scientists study behavior in the real world. In this video, I talk about:What animal behavior is 💡The kinds of animals scientists study to understand behavior 🌍How YOU can help scientists by joining Project

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4:10

OBSERVE Like a Scientist: Tips & Tools | Wildlife...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2025/11/13

Conducting accurate and meaningful observations are a CRITICAL part of being a scientist. In this video, learn how to conduct DETAILED observations in nature. Discover the benefits of nature journaling and using a camera to capture intricate things you wouldn't notice.Are you a parent wanting to get your kids outside and learning about wildlife? Join the Wildlife Biology for Kids Club! You'll receive exclusive access to the accompanying downloadable activities, printables, get connected with

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51:44

Plentiful Work in a Competitive Field: Wetland...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2025/11/06

It’s well known that careers in wildlife, conservation, and the environment are incredibly competitive. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a job to have hundreds of applicants. So you might be surprised to hear that there are jobs that are difficult for employers to fill. Yes, difficult! (insert mind blown emoji here). To be honest, I was surprised too. Today’s episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast is inspired by this recent insight, and it came about through a new connection on LinkedIn. Dr. Patrick

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11:13

Leave the Leaves: Fall Leaf Science & How Leaves Help...

Fancy Scientist with Dr. Stephanie Manka ·

2025/11/02

t’s fall, which means the leaves are falling off the trees and soon they’ll be on the ground. But don’t throw those leaves out! Here you’ll learn how leaves are a valuable resource for wildlife. In this video, we’re going to get curious about and explore the beautiful transformation of leaves from their normal green into shades of red, orange, and yellow. Have you ever wondered why this happens? And why, after this color change leaves eventually fall off? Then, I’ll talk about why leaves are so

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