Earthwatch at 50: Kate Sheridan and Anna Ashdown

 ^{Kate Sheridan (Left) and Anna Ashdown (Right)}

Kate Sheridan and Anna Ashdown met on an Earthwatch expedition. Traveling from the UK to South Africa while still at school, both knew they wanted to work with animals, but had no idea what that might look like for them.

The pair bonded on their trip to Mankwe Wildlife Reserve in South Africa in 2014, helping to conserve endangered rhinos. They’ve remained firm friends ever since.

 “It’s not an exaggeration to say that Earthwatch changed my life,” says Kate Sheridan. “Everything I’ve done since looks back to that two week trip, career-wise…Earthwatch opened my eyes completely to conservation as a career.”

Kate has now completed a master’s degree in Conservation Biology at the University of Cape Town, and runs a conservation blog, Conservation With Kate.

Anna was similarly unsure of what career options existed in the world of conservation. But she’s travelled back to Mankwe every year since their first trip, and has built up an impressive portfolio of wildlife film and photography.

“Going on that trip was the best decision I’ve ever made. I came back looking at conservation careers having found this whole world I didn’t know existed.”