In this powerful and intimate episode of AART Podcast, host Chris Stafford sits down with acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, biologist, and conservationist Jocelyn Stokes for a raw and deeply personal conversation about the beauty and fragility of our natural world. Through her lens and her heart, Jocelyn shares the emotional realities of documenting endangered species, the ethical challenges of storytelling in the wild, and the spiritual connection that drives her mission to protect life on Earth. Listeners will be taken behind the camera into the heart of the jungle and the depths of the ocean, discovering how science, empathy, and art converge to inspire action for conservation. This is more than a story about wildlife—it’s about humanity’s bond with nature, purpose, and resilience. Whether you’re passionate about wildlife filmmaking, environmental activism, or the emotional truth of creative storytelling, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the wild spirit that lives within us all.

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🔑 Tags / Keywords:
Jocelyn Stokes interview, wildlife filmmaker podcast, conservation podcast, biologist interview, nature storytelling, wildlife conservation, female filmmaker, environmental podcast, wildlife photography, animal documentary, nature filmmaking, biodiversity, sustainability podcast, women in science, wildlife cinematography, climate action, wildlife protection, AART Podcast, Chris Stafford, nature inspiration, creative storytelling in conservation

Jocelyn Stokes is a American wildlife biologist, conservationist and filmmaker,. She has filmed programming for PBS NATURE, Mongabay, National Geographic, the BBC, Waterbear, ILCP, Health in Harmony, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Future Alam Borneo and Borneo Futures, among others. She is most at home filming endangered species in some of the world's most remote wilderness locations. Her technical skills in long lens shooting, gimbal work and drone operation to capture unique natural history sequences have led to award-winning conservation films. Jocelyn was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, the eldest of three; she has two brothers. Her father Robert Stokes is in media marketing and her mother Debra a medical assistant and artist. Growing up in the desert, Jocelyn spent her childhood outdoors exploring nature and wildlife. And she was fascinated by still photography from an early age immersing herself in storytelling with her camera. By the time she had graduated high school Jocelyn knew the career she wanted and achieved her BA in Photography from Lewis & Clark followed by graduate studies at Oregon State University for Wildlife Sciences. Jocelyn traveled to South East Asia after college and began to lay the foundation for her career of combining her passions of wildlife conservation and filmmaking from producing a documentary to conserve sun bears in Borneo to environmental journalism pieces for the conservation news web portal Mongabay.  She is currently filming and producing a PBS NATURE series In Her Nature focused on female wildlife conservationists around the world, beginning with Nepal, Indonesia, Costa Rica, and Madagascar, which will air in March 2025. Jocelyn is married to wildlife photographer, Peter Mangolds, and the couple live in Jackson Hole, WY. 
 
Jocelyn’s links:
Website: https://www.jocelynstokes.com/
Her Wild Life: https://www.herwildlife.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildandstoked/.  @wiledandstoked

Jocelyn’s playlist:

• Tyler
• Teddy Swims
• Shaboozey
• Dolly Parton
• Jessie...