Want to see wildlife with your kids but not sure where to start planning? This episode is your roadmap.

Host Jordan Neri sits down with Dearbhaile Ni Dhubhghaill, a zoologist, conservationist, and founder of This Wildlife of Mine. Dearbhaile has worked with cheetahs in Namibia, sea turtles in Cape Verde, and researched wildlife on every single continent.

We're diving deep into two family-friendly destinations: Namibia (Africa's best-kept secret for safaris) and Australia's East Coast. Dearbhaile walks through exactly how to plan these trips—where to go, what to expect, how to research ethical experiences, and why some of the best wildlife encounters require a little patience and a willingness to "earn it."

This isn't about checking boxes or getting Instagram shots. It's about fostering empathy in your kids, teaching them to observe and wait, and giving them experiences that books and documentaries just can't replicate.

What You'll Learn:

• What a cassowary is and why your kids will think they're seeing dinosaurs
• Why Namibia beats South Africa and Kenya for family safaris (hint: you won't be surrounded by dozens of other vehicles)
• The red flags to watch for when researching wildlife experiences
• How to self-drive through Etosha National Park and actually see leopards in the wild
• Why Australia's East Coast is one of the best road trips in the world for wildlife
• Why stillness and silence in places like Namibia might be exactly what your overstimulated family needs

About Our Guest:

Dearbhaile Ni Dhubhghaill is a zoologist, conservationist, writer, photographer, and founder of This Wildlife of Mine. She graduated top of her class at University College Dublin with a degree in zoology and animal biology, earning the zoology medal for her achievements, and continued her studies at Linköping University in Sweden focusing on applied ethology and animal biology.

Her real education? The field. She's worked as a researcher at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, as a field research assistant with OSA Conservation in Costa Rica, in wildlife rehabilitation in Ontario and Malawi, and studied kestrels in Spain. She's been to every continent and now lives in a medieval town in Italy (next door to a castle, naturally).

Most importantly? She has an infectious passion for animals and a gift for making wildlife conservation feel approachable, not intimidating.

Untethered Childhood Instagram: @untethered_childhood

This Wildlife of Mine: www.thiswildlifeofmine.com

• Travel blog with wildlife-focused destination guides
• Instagram: @thiswildlifeofmine_
  

Destinations Discussed:

• Namibia: Etosha National Park, Skeleton Coast, Caprivi Strip
• Australia: Fraser Island (K'gari), Great Barrier Reef, Whitsunday Islands, Cape Tribulation, Brisbane to Cairns stretch