Jessie Panazzolo knew what she wanted to be at age three, thanks to a very influential stuffed gorilla. A conservationist. She even made it happen. What she didn't realize was that the job description would include orangutans throwing trees at her. And that wasn't even the most challenging part.
Turns out, the glamorous life of saving the planet often comes with shrinking job prospects, tough working conditions, and a mental toll so heavy it might make you wish a tree was the biggest projectile you had to worry about.
Panazzolo recently shared her journey on the Mongabay Newscast, detailing a career that saw her fired twice for being sick (because apparently, conservationists aren't allowed to have human ailments) and, yes, dodging arboreal weaponry from our primate cousins. These, she notes, are not typically listed under "normal occupational hazards."
We're a new kind of news feed.
Regular news is designed to drain you. We're a non-profit built to restore you. Every story we publish is scored for impact, progress, and hope.
Start Your News DetoxSaving the Planet, One Therapist Session at a Time
Her experiences, both absurd and genuinely difficult, led Panazzolo to a new mission: helping the helpers. She founded The Lonely Conservationists and Earth Carer Care. These aren't just support groups; they're a full-blown resource hub, offering everything from mental health support to workshops for NGOs on how not to burn out their dedicated staff.
Because while the job might be about protecting wildlife and wild places, it turns out someone also needs to protect the people doing the protecting. And maybe, just maybe, give them a heads-up about the flying foliage.
