Meet our Youth Ambassadors for 2026!
As the end of 2025 draws close the first and second cohort of Youth Ambassadors will soon have all come to the end of their terms – Liane, Felix, Foujia, Meg, Dylan, Mel, Kayleigh, and Kosmo have all been an amazing asset to the Mammal Society team and we thank them for the time, energy and passion they’ve put into their roles.
The Youth Ambassador Program is designed to empower the next generation of mammalogists with hands-on experience, educational opportunities, and a platform to advocate for the protection of mammals. This program not only aims to equip these young conservationists with the skills they need but also to ensure that their voices are heard and valued in the conservation community, inspiring others and driving meaningful change.
We are delighted to share that new YA’s Isla, Mosella, Sam and Hannah will be joining us for 2026. Find out more about them below.
Sam (Mammal Society Youth Ambassador)
Sam
About Sam
I am an A-Level student looking to study Biology at university. As a committee member for my local nature reserve, I install and monitor trail-cams, collecting data on the resident fox, badger and roe deer populations. I also enjoy making wildlife documentaries, which I post on YouTube; I am currently editing my footage from my recent trip to the Isle of Mull!
What's your favourite mammal and why?
Foxes are definitely my favourite mammal as they all have different personalities, making them very fun to watch.
What inspired you to be a youth ambassador?
I was inspired to become a Youth Ambassador because it offers great opportunities to contribute to research and advocate for mammal protection.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be and why?
If I could change anything about the world, I would increase investment in the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems. Habitats such as mangrove forests help protect low-lying islands by reducing the impact of storm surges, while rainforests offer invaluable natural resources, including compounds used to develop life-saving medicines. Protecting ecosystems is therefore not only essential for preserving biodiversity but also crucial for supporting long-term societal resilience.
Isla (Mammal Society Youth Ambassador)
Isla
About Isla
I am a young person who loves reading books on various topics concerning world history and science. I’m currently doing my GCSEs, but in the future I would like to study either Biology or Natural Science at university. I also enjoy painting in my spare time!
What's your favourite mammal and why?
My favourite mammal would have to be the Orca! I love how their high intelligence and creative thinking allows them to communicate effectively together in groups in order to achieve a common goal, hence the ‘wolves of the sea’ comparison - wolves being another firm favourite mammal of mine!
What inspired you to be a youth ambassador?
Last summer I attended a weekend residential hosted by the British Trust For Ornithology (BTO) out of curiosity. I had the amazing opportunity to meet a couple of dedicated volunteers and youth representatives. They were truly passionate about the work they were doing. I didn’t know much about UK bird species, but the staff were all very patient and were happy to share the knowledge about their own personal experiences with conservation in the UK. I was enthralled by their commitment to change: each volunteer went out of their way to make sure everybody understood why the work they were doing was important, but they also took the time to listen to other people’s ideas. This was done through actively encouraging our group to think about what the natural world means to us as a species living within an interconnected web of life.
The experience was eye-opening for me, to say the least. I was inspired to try and find a way I could be part of the positive change they worked hard for. I wanted the chance to the learn about the valuable research and work of other conservation organisations, so I was understandably intrigued when my father forwarded me the Mammal Society’s post advertising the Youth Ambassador position. I just knew I had to send in an application, and I’m really glad I did!
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be and why?
I think if I could change just one thing, it would be the monumental chasm of disconnect between the various societies that make up the world. I think the polarisation within communities due to misplaced anger has prevented people from working together in order to build sustainable systems that would provide future generations with the tools to create a better world. It’s this disconnect I believe can be (if not fixed) partially healed through a greater appreciation of the earth and the diverse group of organisms which call it home.
Hannah (Mammal Society Youth Ambassador)
Hannah
About Hannah
Hannah lives in Manchester and is currently in her gap year before studying Veterinary Medicine at university. She aspires to become a conservation vet, contributing to in-situ conservation projects around the world to preserve endangered species and their habitats, while educating and mobilising communities to protect wildlife.
Alongside her passion for conservation, Hannah is deeply involved in youth social action and advocacy. She serves as Co-Chair of the Greater Manchester Youth Combined Authority, where she works to amplify young people’s voices in regional decision-making.
She is also passionate about creative storytelling and hopes to use her communication skills to make conservation more accessible. She is hoping to start a YouTube channel, Hannah’s Journal, to document her gap year journey and explore topics such as activism and global citizenship. In her free time, she enjoys travelling and learning about politics.
What's your favourite mammal and why?
My favourite mammal is the Chinese white dolphin, which is a pink dolphin found in Hong Kong, where I’m from. I’ve never actually seen one, but I remember doing a presentation about Chinese white dolphins in kindergarten! Unfortunately their numbers in Hong Kong are declining drastically due to habitat loss and noise pollution, having dropped by 80% in the last 17 years. In 2022, only approximately 37 were left in Hong Kong waters.
What inspired you to be a youth ambassador?
I became a youth ambassador because I hope to raise awareness about our country's mammals in need. Wild animals deserve a chance to live and thrive in their rightful home, but mammals are under threat because of human activity, and it is up to humans to make things right too.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be and why?
If I could change one thing about the world, I hope that both humans and animals are treated equally with respect no matter their gender, race, religion, or their background, while embracing each other's culture and traditions. (or I hope that hogwarts exist)
Mosella (Mammal Society Youth Ambassador)
Mosella
About Mosella
Hey, I’m Mosella! I’m currently on a gap year, but will be studying Animal and Conservation Biology next September! I’m passionate about making a real difference in conservation efforts, and I’m particularly interested in exploring the many ways our mental health is linked to nature!
What's your favourite mammal and why?
My favourite mammal is the Bactrian camel! It can be argued there’s nothing particularly awe-inspiring about a camel, but watching them meander around all droopy-eyed just makes me so happy, and I think that’s the most important thing. You get no points for how “cool” your favourite animal is, so as long as it sparks your curiosity and love for the outdoors, then that’s all that matters!
What inspired you to be a youth ambassador?
I applied for the role of Youth Ambassador as I wanted the opportunity to really contribute to conservation, after a rocky few years of feeling very helpless and hopeless. The role gives me the platform and voice to (hopefully) inspire people in a similar place to cling on to what truly matters to them as opposed to what they believe others value, as this helped me refocus my energy on getting to where I am now! Also, I get free travel to cool events and I desperately need to get out of the house.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be and why?
Being asked to change one thing in the world is quite a lot of pressure! I think I would choose to bring about world peace, so we can spend less time and money on defence and more on tackling the issues that really matter. After all, even if I’ve magically reversed climate change, if humanity is still hell-bent on conquering more territory and resources, the natural world will always be under threat. Or maybe I’d just erase humanity entirely. Depends on the day, I suppose.
Interested in what our YA’s get up to, sign up to our Youth Opportunities mailing list to find out more.