Darran Keogh came to Biosphere Expeditions as an expedition leader without a scientific background and left with a drive to pursue conservation through further education — a transformation that reflects the impact these expeditions can have, even for staff members.
Based in Ireland, Darran’s main job is ‘delivering and leading courses in the mountains.’ However, when he came across Biosphere Expeditions and applied for an expedition leader position, he was looking for added value; an opportunity to apply his existing skills in a different context – snow leopard volunteering seemed a good one.
Taking a different approach
Darran was particularly drawn to the idea of working ‘in a remote location during peak tourist season’, where he ‘could avoid contributing to overtourism during the busiest time of year.’
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The snow leopard volunteering expedition to the Tien Shan mountains stood out for him, because of its combined physical challenge and ecological significance. Even before applying for the Biosphere Expeditions job, Darran was already thinking about ‘redirecting my career skills towards conservation and, in particular, the protection of biodiversity.’
‘I wanted to give purpose to my work and travels and leave a positive impact’, says Darran.
The Tien Shan snow leopard volunteering expedition
The Tien Shan mountain range, located in Central Asia, spans over 2,900 km across China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Biosphere Expeditions operates a mobile research camp in Kyrgyzstan, supporting long-term wildlife monitoring of species such as the elusive snow leopard as well as lynx, wolf, bearded vulture, golden eagle and Himalayan snowcock.
Read also: One of the world’s longest-running snow leopard research projects
Working in such a remote and demanding environment requires a high level of self-sufficiency.
Darran acknowledges the reality of expedition life, noting that the conditions encourage everyone to ‘look after themselves; ensuring you are getting enough nutrition and are safe in the mountains.’
Learning on the job
One of the most common misconceptions about Biosphere Expeditions is that participants – whether citizen scientists or staff – need a formal science background.
Darran’s experience proves that this is not true. On expedition, participants and staff work alongside local scientists, contributing to real data collection while learning in a practical, hands-on environment.
‘There are opportunities to wear many different hats,’ says Darran. ‘From gathering data, to helping operate base camp, to exploring new areas, everyone on the expedition brings many skills to it. Working with a group of people from all walks of life, gave me the opportunity to learn a variety of new skills; from birding to cooking to conservation researcher to amateur astronomer.’
For Darran, some of the most memorable moments came from the unexpected beauty in the field. One of the most impactful experiences was seeing ‘a Perseid meteor shower in a remote camp while retrieving camera traps.’
Collaboration is key
But, beyond the environment and the skills gained, it was the collective effort of those involved that left a lasting impression on Darran.
‘One thing I have learnt is that wildlife conservation stands a much better chance with collective contributions and working with local people gave yet another useful angle’, says Darran.
The understanding that conservation is built on a shared effort and local knowledge often becomes a key takeaway for people who join an expedition, including Darran.
Time to make a change
Darran left with ‘a general interest in the science and a hunger to learn more,’ and is now ‘considering further education in the field.’
It’s a shift that reflects the wider impact of the experience — not just exposure to conservation work, but a growing desire to be part of it in a more meaningful, long-term way.
That sense of purpose is matched by his confidence in how the expedition was run ‘with sound priorities of safety, science and satisfaction,’ he reflects.
‘I would encourage anyone interested in conservation to attend a Biosphere Expeditions project. They have a selection of expeditions that probably suits most people’s style of travel.’
You can find an overview of all upcoming Biosphere Expeditions here.
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Author: Liesl Hammer
Liesl Hammer grew up bilingual in England and Germany with a passion for writing and conservation and holds an English Literature with Creative Writing degree. As the daughter of Biosphere Expeditions’ founder and executive director, she has been on many expeditions, for example to Namibia, South Africa, Oman and Maldives, where she was always captivated by the different cultures, wildlife and wild places she found. Combining all these interests, Liesl now has her own business, helping organisations and businesses improve their social media presence and quality of writing, which is exactly what she does for Biosphere Expeditions – from creating a social media strategy to producing a blog to looking at communication in wildlife conservation.