Madi in the Wild

Wildlife Biologist | Conservationist | Solo Traveler

Hi, I'm Madi

I’m a wildlife biologist, conservationist, and solo traveler chasing stories in the wild

From tracking jaguars and collaring elephants to tagging whale sharks and working as a zookeeper, every chapter of my journey leads back to one mission: protecting wildlife and encouraging others to explore the world with curiosity and purpose...

Curious how it all started? Tap below to learn more about me!

About Madi

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Crested Butte on skis ❄️🏔️
Steep lines, quiet chair rides, and mountain-town magic, I love it here 💙

Some adventures from 2025! Thank you to everyone who made it special, cheers to 2026 💫

The annual Rustle electric safari photo! Love the Loft animals 💗🎄

It’s World Jaguar Day! A perfect moment to highlight the incredible work happening in jaguar conservation.

Earlier this year, I had the chance to spend time with @paulraadc , @samucapelomundo , and the rest of the @impactoinstituto team in the Pantanal to see what jaguar conservation looks like on the ground for @katieadamsonconservationfund .

What struck me most was how closely the future of jaguars is tied to the people who live there. About 90% of the Pantanal wetlands are cattle ranches, which means meaningful conservation has to work hand-in-hand with local livelihoods.

The Instituto Impacto team not only gathers vital data on jaguar movements and ecology, but also leads community-based conservation. While I was in Brazil, they partnered with ranchers and community members to implement practical solutions like electric fences and deterrent lights to encourage jaguars to use their wild space. Small changes that make a big difference. They are also teaching students in schools about the importance of preserving ecosystems and connecting them with the natural world!

Seeing these collaborations in action, and how they build trust between communities and conservationists, was genuinely inspiring.

Grateful to the Instituto Impacto team for the work they’re doing. I left the Pantanal truly inspired. Some of the best things you can to do support jaguar conservation is supporting organizations like @impactoinstituto and through booking sustainable eco-tours to view jaguars in the wild!

Happy World Jaguar day!

#jaguar #wildjaguar #wildlife #bigcats #pantanal #mottogrosso #jaguarconservation #wildlifeconservation #safari #conservation #impacto
#brazil #brazilconservation

Little family zoo visit + tamarins + museum night 🤝

Holmes’ face says it all…Fall at the zoo 🍁 🤝

#largibbon #gibbons #westernlowlandgorilla #orangutans #primates #zookeeper #cheyennemountainzoo #animals #primatesofinstagram

Had an incredible week at the New World Primate TAG hosted by Brookfield Zoo! Huge thanks to everyone who presented, collaborated, and helped make the experience so meaningful. It was truly inspiring to be surrounded by so many passionate and dedicated professionals 🫶

A few moments from an unforgettable trip!

One year ago, I had the privilege of visiting Tsavo Trust alongside Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. It was an incredible honor to witness firsthand the meaningful impact Tsavo Trust is making for both wildlife and local communities.

From establishing community conservancies and supporting the Kenya Wildlife Service to creating sustainable financial frameworks to protect Tsavo, their work is as far-reaching as it is inspiring. It’s difficult to fully capture the depth and complexity of what they do in one post, but I’m deeply grateful for the time spent on the Tsavo reserve!

Thank you again @tsavotrust for all that you do!

Spontaneous little Lake Haiyaha hike ✨⛰️ thank you Colorado for providing us with views in fog, sunshine, and hail, all in the first 20 minutes at the top 🥰

Throwback to Angels Landing! Featuring several Western Whiptails (Cnemidophorus tigris) 🤩

3/7 Wonders of the World ~ Chichén Itzá

My favorite fact that I learned about Chichén Itzá is that during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the setting sun casts a perfect shadow on the Pyramid of Kukulcán, creating the illusion of a serpent moving down the steps. It’s a precise alignment designed by the Maya over 1,000 years ago!

The blend of astronomy and architecture encapsulated in this ruin is fascinating! Also, there were lizards everywhere 😃

#chichenitza #mexico #yucatan #7wondersoftheworld

Lots of new faces recently💕 could not have been a better week in Primate World

First encounter with wild Mountain Goats and it was well worth the wait 🏔️🐐

These animals weren’t originally native to Colorado but were introduced in 1947 to expand hunting opportunities. Since then, their population has grown to about 2,000 across the state.

While biologists have raised concerns about competition with other native species like bighorn sheep, and the potential impact on fragile alpine ecosystems, there’s no denying the awe of seeing them in their alpine element.

#rockymountaingoats #mountaingoats #graysandtorreyspeak #colorado #coloradowildlife #animalsofcolorado #colorado14ers

Big fan of Gray’s and Torrey’s👍 some pics from today

Releasing Wyoming Toad tadpoles with @cheyennemountainzoo was the highlight of June!

Our team visited several carefully selected sites each one ideal for reintroducing this critically endangered amphibian back into the wild. Thousands of tadpoles were released, and witnessing this hands-on conservation effort was amazing.

Wild Wyoming Toad egg strands have been discovered in these areas, a clear sign that the reintroduction program is making an incredible impact on the conservation of this species!

Also, Jim and I were able to whip out the mosquito face nets so that’s always a plus

#ConservationInAction #WyomingToad #SpeciesReintroduction #WildlifeConservation #EndangeredSpecies #CheyenneMountainZoo #TadpoleRelease #Zookeeper

Kwisha being Kwisha and two girls ready for rain 💀😃

Just some capybara appreciation from back in March, while currently sitting here in gloomy Colorado.

How many capybara would you have to be surrounded by to start feeling uneasy about their presence?
Jon said no number since they’re cute, but Lindsey and I agree to 5 max😃. We feel that they’re up to something

A day late to Earth Day yet here we are 🌎💚 Big fan of this place

~Birds of the Pantanal~

1: Tuiuiú or Jabiru
2: Cattle Egrets & Cocoi Heron
3: Rhea
4: Red-legged seriema

#birding #birdsofbrazil #brazil #pantanal #birdingpantanal #mottogrosso #birdsofinstagram

Cassowaries, lemur birthday twins, and lizards—overall, a great visit to the Denver Zoo!

Nina making her way back to the forest through the freshwater terrain!

It felt surreal watching her slip into the foliage, disappearing even though she was still close by. It really highlighted just how incredible their camouflage is as they navigate this complex ecosystem 🐆🍃

#jaguar #wildjaguar #wildlife #bigcats #pantanal #mottogrosso #jaguarconservation #wildlifeconservation #safari #conservation #panthera
#brazil #brazilconservation

A few other shots from our adventure through the Pantanal💙

Thank you to the Pantanal Cowboys and @impactoinstituto for an amazing journey 🫶

The highlight of my time in the Pantanal was the day spent traveling on horse back through the freshwater. We were checking on camera traps so far off the grid they can only be accessed via horse. We spent nearly 5 hours on horse back, most of the time trecking through the flooded Pantanal waterways. The incredible cowboys from Pisouda Piouval guided us to the spots the camera traps were, while also guiding cattle along the way. Cattle ranching is prominent in this region and despite the Pantanal being flooded with fresh water, cattle graze on the grasses and travel through the water to get to different grazing areas.

Once we got to the camera traps, @samucapelomundo was able to collect the valuable footage of jaguars from this region!

There were plenty of caiman and bird sightings along the way.

#fieldday #pantanal #brazil #mottogrosso #jaguarconservation #pantanalconservation #wildlifeconservation #horsebackriding

During our search for Jaguars, we were lucky enough to encounter this troop of Howler Monkeys multiple times! Every encounter was a blast, watching them jump through the canopy and snack on leaves, living their best life 🍃 🐒

#howlermonkeys #animals #pantanal #primates #monkeys #wildlife #brazil #brazilwildlife #primatesofinstagram

I’ve spent weeks in jaguar territory across Central and South America, but I’d never managed to spot one-until one evening in the Pantanal. As the sun was setting, I finally saw my first wild jaguar 🐆 . It was such an exciting moment that I will never forget!!

This is Nina, one of the well-known jaguars of the Pantanal. @paulraadc and @samucapelomundo have identified her multiple times, using camera traps and on-the-ground sightings to identify jaguars by their unique spot patterns. I was lucky to observe Nina in her natural territory, especially since it’s a tricky time of year for jaguar sightings! I will be smiling randomly about this moment for months moving forward 😃👍

#jaguar #wildjaguar #wildlife #bigcats #pantanal #mottogrosso #jaguarconservation #wildlifeconservation #safari #conservation #panthera #brazil #brazilconservation

~The Pantanal~ The world’s largest tropical wetland and where cattle ranching exists amongst wildlife biodiversity. With nearly 95% of the region privately owned, mostly for cattle grazing, it’s fascinating to witness the balance between nature and industry.

I am so excited to be here to experience the beauty and importance of this vital ecosystem 🌎💙

Just two ladies enjoying this weeks warm weather ☀️ 🦍

#gorillas #westernlowlandgorilla #animals #azazoo #gorillasofinstagram #zookeeper #animals #primates #primatesofinstagram

Reminiscing about my first journey to Nepal three years ago—one-horned rhinos, marsh muggers, gharials... I can’t get enough of it!

Here’s some of the “smaller” animals we spotted at Tsavo! The third photo is definitely one of my favorite moments from the trip: catching a glimpse of a Black Rhino from a bush plane. The photo’s not exactly my best work as I was fighting the urge to throw up while we were flying sideways when I took it. But the photo does sum up why planes are so key for rhino conservation. These guys are super tough to monitor from the ground. The Tsavo Trust team did a few loops in the air around the area before finally spotting him. Such a cool experience! Also got to see my first wild hippos 💜

Throwback to an incredible time exploring glacier lakes in Silverton. The hike to Ice and Island Lake was one of the most beautiful trails I’ve been on in Colorado! Plus, we saw moose!!

One of my favorite highlights of the Tsavo trip was witnessing the relocation of two venomous snakes: a Boomslang and juvenile Spitting Cobra.

We were fortunate enough to meet Patrick, a venomous snake handler at Tsavo Trust. When community members encounter venomous snakes, they can call Patrick and he will safely handle the snakes then relocate them to an area in that park that is uninhabited by people. This relationship between the Tsavo Trust and the community is important for decreasing wildlife conflict events between snakes and people. It was so special to see everyone work together to relocate these snakes to a more suitable area 💚🐍

#tsavotrust #tsavonationalpark #venomoussnakes #snakes #boomslang #spittingcobra #reptiles #conservation #africa

Seeing African Wild Dogs and Spotted Hyenas was one of the highlights of our recent trip to Kenya! We ran into the same Wild Dog pack twice while they were napping along the road and Hyenas on the way to the airport on the last day! Perfect way to end the trip

#africanwilddog #spottedhyena #africa #wilddogs #tsavotrust #kenya

Elephants by the waterhole, a series🐘

#africanelephant #kenya #tsavonationalpark #elephants

Some of the Masai Giraffe of Tsavo National Park 🦒

It’s Dot and Chico’s world, we’re just living in it🍃

#emperortamarin #tamarins

Gorilla appreciation post! Featuring Asha 🦍💙

Lots of cuteness from these two recently (and always)

#emperortamarin #sumatranorangutan

The best couple days with Sumagu and Kera ❤️❤️

#sumatranorangutans #sustainablepalmoil

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