"Get out there, make it happen!"

Humans of Fortuna: FHS Alumni Ari Ananda

By: Liana Hetticher

Ariana(Ari) Ananda, a Fortuna High alumni has advice for future graduates. “My advice for the graduating class of FHS: Do what you love, and do what makes you really excited to be learning past your school education. Get OUT there. See the world, make it happen even if you think you don't have money/you should be getting a high paying job/being a responsible adult....it is possible. And the world is so much bigger than our sweet little Humboldt County. It truly is remarkable how much you can learn about other people, the environment, history, and culture by actually getting a taste of it. Whether that is going to China to climb the Great Wall, or just going over to Oregon to take a hike in an unknown forest, get out there.”

Ari studied Wildlife Conservation in college. Zoology is the scientific study of the behavior, structure, physiology, classification, and distribution of animals. This is also in relation to ecology. Ecology is the study of the relations of organisms to one another and their physical surroundings. In relation to those two sciences, there is Conservation Biology. This is the management of nature and of Earth’s biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and their ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction and the erosion of biotic interactions. Ari studied a mix of these three studies when she created her own major of Wildlife Conservation.

A few jobs one can obtain with these majors are environmental studies, working in zoos, or wildlife management area such as a national park.

Ari’s favorite thing about Humboldt County was “the small town vibe and the closeness it created.” She loved being able to roam free and not have the sense of worry.

Ariana’s two favorite places are Costa Rica and Tanzania. She enjoyed Costa Rica for its “biodiversity, sustainability, and the fact that the local people have come to see how these things can bring incredible tourism and help their economy, thus further fueling environmental protection acts.” Ari spent 3 months, working on a sea turtle conservation project and doing field research with bats.

She also enjoyed Tanzania because “it really caused me to think outside of simply being a tourist.” The role that cultural development plays in conservation also sparked her interest.
Seeing the wildlife that i had only ever seen on National Geographic come to life right in front of me as I camped out under the stars in the Serengeti is something I will never forget”.

Ari chose this career path because she’s always wanted to work with and help animals, but being a veterinarian just wasn’t a fit for her. “I fell in love with the science and understanding the wildlife, but also am keen on the fields of rehabilitation.” Although she isn’t certain of her near future, she knows that she will be working towards helping the wildlife in any way she can.