Joana Griciute

Nature is a beast, and I love her. The day I graduated from veterinary school, I grabbed a bag and headed out into the World looking for adventure. I got it. I’ve worked in Asia, Africa, Europe and Central America, at wildlife rehabilitation centers, zoos, field stations and animal sanctuaries.

To summarize as best I can:

- I raised orphaned primate babies, got frequently lost in the jungle & was constantly harassed by DEET resistant mosquitoes

- Shared meals with baboons, toothbrush with praying mantis, bed with scorpions, kitchen with frogs & lived in tents

- Got my clothes ripped by barbed wires, crossed flooding rivers, climbed slippery slopes while getting stung by wasps & acacia ants

- Changed a flat tire unaware that we were right next to a puff-adder, Africa's deadliest snake

- Cached spitting cobras & had giant python's wide open mouth a few inches away from my face

- Hiked to see wild orangutans while ignoring high fever & severe headache, fell onto spiky trees

- Was pooped on many times by monkeys & bought land from the local tribe King in Limpopo

- Saw Borneo forests burned down, animals, wild & domestic, being abused & neglected everywhere I went

- Learned that the dinner from wild grass with a jar of peanut butter was the best meal ever, was hissed at by vultures & snapped at by pelicans

- I have scars from mean plants, vicious insects & animal bites

- I fully lived the field scientist's life, worked in adverse weather conditions & continuously tested my survival skills while taking in every moment in nature as an everlasting gift

- Most importantly, was rewarded with lifelong human & animal friends, grew as a person & expanded my boundaries. I loved it & would do it again! It's all for animals anyway

My adventures also gave me the opportunity to exercise my love for photography. I was able to capture precious moments of soulful orangutans, bold baboons and politically savvy capuchins in their native environment.

Now I’m exploring the urban jungles of South Florida and new career opportunities. My experiences give me a unique perspective and repertoire and maybe one day, sitting under a palm tree, I will write a book. My photography page is currently under construction, but please check back later and don't forget, I'm always interested in discussing collaborations and future opportunities.