From Working for the National Park Service to Being Woken Up by a Bear

Julio Campis Díaz is a 24-year-old Puerto Rican ecologist and PhD student whose career took a dramatic turn the day he stepped into El Yunque National Rainforest. What began as a required research assignment led him from freshwater shrimp studies to working inside Great Smoky Mountains and Yosemite National Park. In this episode Julio shares how that moment reshaped his path, the mentors who guided him, and the field experiences that shaped his love for conservation. He talks about tracking rare owls, teaching visitors in national parks, witnessing shrimp migrations, and navigating close encounters with wildlife. We also discuss the challenges national parks face today and the importance of including native knowledge and strong community partnerships. In this episode • The unexpected moment in El Yunque that sent Julio from pre med to wildlife science • What it is really like to work as a ranger in Great Smoky Mountains and Yosemite • The wild encounters waking up to a bear, tracking a rare owl for hours, and seeing shrimp migrations that look unreal • How national parks are changing and why native knowledge is shaping better conservation • The surprising role kids have played in his passion for education and outreach • His current PhD work removing old dams to reopen migration routes for fish and shrimp • The long term dream that keeps him motivated leading El Yunque National Forest Connect with Julio: Instagram Support El Yunque National Park National Park Service Shrimp Migration Video . Follow along on other platforms: Instagram Tiktok Youtube ~ KEYWORDS national parks, wildlife stories, bear encounter, park ranger intern, national park service, Yosemite internship, Smoky Mountains wildlife, conservation careers, ecology student, wildlife biologist, fieldwork stories, outdoor jobs, nature podcast, environmental science, wildlife encounters, El Yunque rainforest, shrimp migration, PhD ecology, national park education, conservation inspiration, travel podcast, adventure podcast, park ranger