Aussie Ark spotlights its Manager of Conservation to mark World Female Ranger Day

To mark today being World Female Ranger Day, conservation organisation Aussie Ark spotlights the incredible career of its Manager of Conservation, Hayley Shute.

Shute has worked as a ranger, and been dedicated to wildlife conservation, her entire life. It’s a passion she was born with.

Shute shares “I was that little child who had skinks in the backyard and made homes for them. All my friends were playing with dolls and I had snails!”

In her early teens Shute started volunteering at animal parks and zoos including the Australian Reptile Park, Aussie Ark’s sister organisation. There she “hit her stride” and started paid work…and hasn’t looked back.

“I’ve been in this industry for almost 25 years,” Shute said. “And today I’ve got the best job in the world, working as Manager of Conservation for Aussie Ark.”

Shute has hand-raised over 50 orphan animals and is the so-called ‘Koala Whisperer’ specialising in raising Australia’s most iconic marsupial. Another career highlight is breeding and rewilding endangered species with the Aussie Ark team which enables animals to “live and thrive in the wild as they should”.

Shute's dedication as ranger and conservationist was recognised at last year's NSW Business Awards when she was won the coveted award of the state's most 'Outstanding Employee of the Year'.

For World Female Ranger Day Shute wants to encourage girls and women worldwide to become wildlife rangers and adds “we need more passionate people, we need heroes, we need people who are going to be at the front of conservation and get bloodied and bruised…but the beneficiary is our wildlife.”

To learn more about the work done by Aussie Ark Wildlife Rangers and Manager of Conservation Hayley Shute please go to aussieark.org.au.   

All images. Credit: Aussie Ark