August 15th, 2025 | Words on Wildlife | by LaDaryn Lockett
Hello, I’m LaDaryn!
A little more than a year ago, I decided to sell most of my belongings and take a chance by moving from my home in Oklahoma to San Diego, California, in search of a career opportunity and to embrace a new and challenging experience. In a year, I went from being aimless and wandering to confident and driven in a career in conservation. Before I had spent five years working in the veterinary field not sure if pursuing a doctorate in veterinary medicine would be for me. From there, I became a formal educator and spent a year teaching high school students the basics of chemistry and physics before I made the big move. Now, I work with a number of nonprofits in San Diego in both fields of education and tourism, and am developing my path towards eco-friendly entrepreneurship and wildlife advocacy.
It took a few months for me to find work in my desired field when I arrived in San Diego. It started with handshakes and introductions with local conservation groups, and eventually it led to volunteering opportunities and experiences assisting in wildlife research and field work. These were not paid gigs; however, they instilled a growing passion in me, which fueled my persistence that led me to my first paid job with one of the largest conservation organizations in the world, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Now, a year later, this all has motivated me to pursue solo endeavors using my skills and experience to reach more people through these platforms I’m developing:
The most important thing you can do for yourself is dedicate a time in your life where you ask yourself: What is my purpose?
You see, I’m a strong believer that we all have one chance at this experience we call life, and it is a personal duty for us to discover our talents that we can then use to better our own lives and offer to others so that we can leave this Earth better than we found it. I discovered that I can draw people closer to wildlife in a way that benefits the animals and their admirers. And like that, my purpose possessed me.
My mission is simple: to inspire curiosity and wonder about nature through immersive storytelling and science communication, and Words On Wildlife is going to be my vehicle on this road.
If you feel you could do more for your favorite wildlife and the community that protects them, I always say that no matter how popular an animal is, known or unknown, every species is worth protecting. Join me and use your voice to save wildlife TODAY.
These are just a few items I use regularly to create content and reach people with my pro-wildlife message.
With so much work being done at home in my office, I use a Blue Yeti microphone paired with a specified microphone stand to mount on my desk for hands-free audio recording for both Zoom interviews and podcast recording. I also keep things simple using my MacBook Pro instead of a desktop computer so that I can stay mobile with my writing, which is why I use a Bluetooth pairing keyboard and mouse so that I get that desktop feel at home.
When I’m recording audio on the go, I rely on my Rode wireless microphones paired with my 64-inch extendable tripod to hold my iPhone so that I can get excellent video and audio in outside environments.
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Share Your Words On Wildlife
What’s one moment in nature that shaped your perspective on Wildlife?
Follow and tag me on Instagram [@ladarynlockett] with your answer.
Like what you read? A Newsletter through Substack is on the way with free educational tools! So stay tuned! In the meantime, support wildlife storytelling and fieldwork via Ko-fi and subscribe to my YouTube Channel, LaDaryn Lockett, for more discussions and interviews on nature and curiosity.
And remember, no matter how popular an animal is, big or small, every species is worth protecting.
LaDaryn Lockett is a wildlife educator, writer, and founder of Words on Wildlife. He advocates for global conservation through storytelling, education, and immersive experiences connecting people with the natural world.
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