Ryan Eddowe's career path to becoming a wildlife presenter. Ryan talks about opening up the environment for other disabled people, growing up in an urban area, and the importance of following your dreams. Current Job Tell us about your current role Wildlife Presenter. I'm actively pursuing a career as a wildlife presenter. I aim to be the first wildlife presenter born with clubfeet and now with a below-the-knee amputation. Due to my disabilities, I am to showcase how important the natural world is and how we should all have access to it. Nature is not exclusive to certain groups or individuals - it includes everyone. Nature is so important for our mental and physical well-being, and there should be no barriers to accessing it. I create YouTube films about nature through several projects, such as Wild West Midlands. As a born-and-bred Yam yam (Black Country native), I work with a fellow Brummie, and we find all the hidden gems around the West Midlands and prove how easy it is to get to them and how accessible they are. I also present my Attenborough's Animals series that's been signed off by Sir David himself. Where I will be travelling the world to find all the species that are named in his honour, which currently stands at over 50 species. Career Beginnings When you were 15, what job did you want and who did you ask for advice?I knew I always wanted to work with animals, but I was told by the medical professionals that my dream of being a zookeeper would not be possible due to my disability. I ingnored there advice and have a 13-year career working in Zoos and Safari parks as a zoo educator and assistant zookeeper. I never had much advice when I was younger, as working with animals was never seen as a suitable career, as more of the trades were better, like plastering or plumbing, but I just always knew I wanted to work in conservation, so I actively found all the information out myself and attended Rodbaston College, which was an animal care college. Did you have an interest in the environment at this time? Ever since I was a child, I have been interested in nature and the environment; we lived in Wolverhampton, a very urban area. Still, my grandparents had a wonderful garden full of life, from wildflowers and shrubs to bats to insects. My nan and grandad brought me up learning loads about caring for nature. I used to go to a lot of zoos and take trips to the library to learn about animals; I was obsessed with it all. While kids were playing football, I was trying to breed garden snails in my grandad's greenhouse, which had some success. What were your first steps in starting your career? I attended Rodbaston College, which is an animal care college that had its own on-site animal zone, and I worked in the zoo caring for everything from monkeys to rats. I worked closely with a chap called Sam, who was the reptile keeper. He inspired me to work with reptiles and amphibians, so when I applied to Bangor University, I applied for the Zoology with Herpetology degree, which I got a 2:1 in. Since then, I have travelled the world filming wildlife and making my own films, and I am actively pursuing my dream of being a wildlife presenter. Career path and skills What does your career path look like? I have been told by my people in the industry and medical professionals that a life working with wildlife or becoming a wildlife presenter will never be possible due to my disabilities; I am now proving them wrong. I always encourage people to follow their dreams; if you listen to everybody's views and opinions, you will never progress, as people will always try to influence your path. As long as you know where you want to go and you have a passion, then do everything you can to get yourself there.What skills were important for you to develop in your career? In wildlife conservation and media, you need many skills like drone skills, identification, surveying, observational skills and many more, but I will always state that the most important skill you need is patience. You need to work to deadlines and spend months filming a particular animal's behaviour, so you need to take the time to work in some of the wildest places; having patience is key. This article was published on Monday 19 October 2026
