How I Built My Path in Wildlife — From Solo Brand to Zoo Keeper to Independent Filmmaker

ByJacob Jackson

From curiosity to conservation, film, and animal care

I didn’t grow up with a roadmap for working in wildlife. I didn’t have a clear lane, a built-in network, or a blueprint telling me how to turn passion into a profession. What I did have was curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to learn everything the hard way.

This is how I built my path into wildlife conservation — through animal care, independent filmmaking, content creation, and building a brand completely solo.

Finding My Way Into Wildlife Conservation

I’ve always been outside. Forests, wetlands, backyards — if there was something crawling, swimming, or growing, I was paying attention. That curiosity eventually led me into Environmental Studies coursework at Virginia Commonwealth University and Irvine Valley College, where I began understanding the systems behind the species I loved.

But the real education didn’t stop in classrooms.

I learned wildlife conservation by being hands-on — fieldwork, animal care, research, and observation. I gravitated toward reptiles and amphibians early on, and that focus stuck. Over time, herpetology became both my specialty and my lens for understanding broader environmental issues.

Learning Animal Care and Zoo Work From the Ground Up

Working with animals isn’t glamorous — it’s discipline, patience, and responsibility.

Through roles as a Wildlife Care Specialist, a Commissary Keeper, and hands-on work with conservation organizations, I learned animal husbandry the way it’s meant to be learned: by showing up every day and doing the work. Feeding, cleaning, monitoring behavior, maintaining enclosures, preparing diets, and responding when things don’t go as planned.

Caring for animals like iguanas, frogs, tortoises, and snakes taught me that conservation starts with daily commitment, not big moments.

Building a Wildlife Brand Completely Solo

At a certain point, I realized that conservation work doesn’t speak for itself. If people don’t see it, understand it, or connect with it, it gets overlooked.

So I built my own platform.

I taught myself:

  • Wildlife photography
  • Documentary filmmaking
  • Video editing and sound design
  • Screen printing and merchandise production
  • Content strategy and storytelling for social media

Everything under the Herp Hero Wildlife Foundation brand was built from scratch — no agency, no production team, no safety net. Just learning, failing, adjusting, and trying again.

Investing in Film and Content Creation Equipment

I reinvested everything back into the work.

Over time, that meant investing thousands of dollars into cameras, lenses, audio gear, lighting, stabilization, drones, editing software, and storage. Not because gear makes the creator — but because quality matters when you’re telling stories about science, conservation, and communities.

Independent film work allowed me to document:

  • Environmental surveys
  • Conservation fieldwork
  • Community science projects
  • Education programs
  • Wildlife care behind the scenes

Film became my way of translating complex environmental issues into something people could actually feel.

Working With Conservation Organizations Locally and Internationally

My work eventually expanded beyond my own projects.

I’ve collaborated with conservation organizations both in the U.S. and internationally — helping structure content, document fieldwork, and amplify voices that often go unheard. From research teams to nonprofits to community-based initiatives, I learned how to adapt storytelling to different ecosystems, cultures, and goals.

That experience shaped how I approach conservation media: it’s not about me — it’s about service.

Why I Keep Doing This Work

Wildlife conservation isn’t just about animals. It’s about people, access, education, and visibility.

As a Black conservationist working in a historically underrepresented field, I understand how important it is to be seen doing the work. Representation changes who feels welcome in these spaces.

I didn’t wait for permission to start. I built something because I needed it to exist.

What This Journey Taught Me

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:

  • You don’t need everything figured out to begin
  • Skills compound when you stay consistent
  • Storytelling is a conservation tool
  • Investing in yourself is part of the work

I’m still learning. Still building. Still documenting. And still believing that conservation is strongest when it’s honest, creative, and accessible.