Hukaymah Ali was always fascinated by animals.
“I was influenced by Steve Irwin greatly,” she said.
She started working with the founder of the El Socorro Centre for Wildlife Conservation, Ricardo Meade, then she founded West Indian Herping with other animal educators and protectors.
“We were all interested in snakes, in particular, snakes and frogs like reptiles and amphibians and we started this group within the centre and we would go out in the forest and look for snakes and learn about them,” she said.
Ali can be found on TikTok as the Animal Girl, documenting her adventures with wildlife. She said men are often surprised to see her leading tours or giving demostrations on the handling of wildlife.
“They are pretty surprised when they see me doing that. They try to be dominant and you know they are the saviour they try to control the situation because you know women supposed to be scared of everything,” she said.
Ali said her response is to, “just show them, I don’t say anything I just do what I do.”
And she does even in the comments under her posts which are viewed hundreds of thousands of times. When men try to minimalise her work.
Ali admits men and women are not on a level playing field, highlighting the monthly menstrual cycle which for some women can be crippling. Her team embraces it.
“They understand if I am going through something they will just leave me and let me be,” she said.
She believes that women need to explain their situation to men so they get a clearer picture.
“Men really don’t understand what we go through,” she said.
Ali, a Muslim, said her work as a wildlife conservationist goes hand in hand with her religion.
“They are 100 per cent supportive, even my parents. It actually brings you closer to the religion, it brings you peace and opens your eyes to the little things,” she said.
Her advice young girls who are interested in wildlife preservation is that they pursue their passion and find their crowd.
“When people try to make a life for you, don’t take them on,” she said.
According to Ali, if animals like hawks who help their mates take care of the baby, or male frogs who help prepare a space along with their female mate can embrace equity, all of mankind can do the same.