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The pinnacle of evolution? | Jennifer Croes | TEDxUbud

1,267 views · Published 21 October 2014 · 15:02 · Indexed 19 October 2026

Channel: TEDx Talks · 2014 · Nonprofits & Activism

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This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Drinking civet cat poo and eating flying fox sushi. Are humans really the pinnacle of evolution? Jennifer Croes looks at the havoc we are wreaking on the environment and our health through illegal wildlife trafficking. Whether you know it or not, we are all part of the problem and the solution. 

Jennifer is a rare and endangered species; a Conservation Scientist and business professional with 17 years work experience, She has successfully transitioned and reinvented herself to blend her extensive business management and research skills with conservation science. She took a leap of faith in 2005 to follow her passion to "Save the world" and had an epiphany in the Amazon, rehabilitating wildlife. Her conservation portfolio includes; Begawan Foundation Bali Starling project, Project manager at an Orang-utan rehabilitation centre in Borneo, leading the largest citizen-consultation process for the United Nations COP 15 to combat Climate change, Earth Hour 2010 National Manager, Biodiversity conservation consultant at WWF-Australia, becoming a global Panda Ambassador invited by the Chinese government to returning to post-graduate study to obtain her Masters in Science at Imperial College, London in 2011. Jennifer is currently Director, Conservation & Partnerships at Rainforest Rescue driving significant conservation change in Australia to preserve and restore Australia’s last remaining tropical rainforests and collaborating with Government, councils, businesses and zoos globally to save a species; the Southern Cassowary.

Jennifer is particularly interested in looking at the link between human behaviour and our relationship to nature. She is passionate in solving the issue of illegal wildlife trade and undertook research “Closing Shop– a socio-cultural analysis through Traders’ eyes”, integrating social science by interviewing traders at Indonesian wildlife markets to combat this conservation challenge. She is committed to breaking down the barriers and perception of conservation through community engagement – saving species from extinction, preserving habitat and developing a framework to instigate this change. However, engaging and empowering communities to make behavioural shifts requires understanding, education and action and a need to embed traditional values, cultures and knowledge. We could learn a lot from Indigenous communities to live in balance.

She has a real passion for the natural world. Her dream: to become the next David Attenborough and encourage people to reconnect to the natural world and be part of the “conservation solution”. There is a real need for behavioural change in industry and consumer living to reduce our environmental footprint. - It’s not a question of maximising opportunities but “How long do we have?”

She has Dutch-Indonesian heritage, speaks both languages and has lived, studied and worked in Europe, Indonesia, South America, China and New Zealand and has travelled the globe extensively, but calls Byron Bay home.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

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