Wildlife Vocalizations: Larissa Christofoletti

I knew I wanted to be a wildlife biologist since I was a kid. I did everything I had to do to achieve this goal, and when I did, it was a dream come true. I was truly happy.

Over the years, I have worked in many facilities in Brazil, Peru and Costa Rica, doing amazing things with amazing animals and people, but there was always a struggle that I tried to keep to myself since I was in college: battling depression.

For someone facing depression, symptoms can get worse when facing loss and frustration. And when you work with wildlife rehabilitation in nongovernmental organizations, these instances happen very often. The lack of resources, the low salaries, and the long hours of work are challenges.

In addition, almost all wildlife workers feel compassion fatigue at least once, and we need to talk about this. We have to better value the brave people who work to save lives every day: vets, biologists, keepers and managers.

We have to create better work environments and give the people the tools they need to keep going and fulfill the mission of their lives: making this planet the best place for all living beings.

Wildlife Vocalizations is a collection of short personal perspectives from people in the field of wildlife sciences. 

Learn more about Wildlife Vocalizations, and read other contributions.

Submit your story for Wildlife Vocalizations or nominate your peers and colleagues to encourage them to share their story. For questions, please contact tws@wildlife.org.