Reclaimed Earth, Rhino Conservation, and Building Impact with Strategy by Yvette Ayala
Apr 15, 2026What if the “superpower” you’ve been sitting on—your career skills, your network, your voice—was the exact thing the world needs to protect what can’t protect itself?
In this episode of the Audacious Founder Podcast: Being Bold in Business, I’m joined by Yvette Ayala, founder and executive director of Reclaimed Earth, a conservation nonprofit focused on protecting critically endangered species around the world. Yvette is also an intellectual property attorney, and that combination—heart and strategy—is exactly why this conversation hits so hard.
Because this isn’t just a feel-good episode about wildlife.
It’s about identity, impact, and what happens when you stop living inside invisible walls you didn’t even realize you built.
Meet Yvette: The Connector Who Builds Bridges (Not Just Brands)
When I asked Yvette about her “superpower,” she didn’t hesitate:
She’s a connector.
The kind of person who hears what you care about, stores it in the back of her brain, and then introduces you to the exact person, project, or opportunity that makes everything click.
And that’s essentially what Reclaimed Earth does.
Not by reinventing the wheel—but by helping people who care about conservation find vetted, legitimate projects on the ground… without getting scammed or misled by shiny “save the animals” campaigns that don’t actually help.
If you’ve ever wanted to support wildlife but didn’t know what was real? This is the gap she’s filling.
“You’re Going to Be a Lawyer” — How Identity Gets Assigned Early
Yvette shared something that so many high-achievers will recognize: her path wasn’t just chosen—it was assigned.
Raised by Hispanic immigrant parents, the options were basically five:
Doctor. Engineer. Architect. Lawyer. (You know the drill.)
And because she was outspoken, protective, and always advocating for others, everyone decided for her early:
“You’re going to be a lawyer.”
And she became one.
But even when you’re good at something… even when you’re respected… there’s still that moment where your body tells the truth:
This isn’t it.
The Moment Everything Shifted: “I’m the One Putting Myself in the Box”
Yvette described doing Landmark Forum and realizing something that cracked her world open:
She was the one deciding what a “real lawyer” looks like.
She was the one enforcing the rules.
She was the one keeping herself inside the box.
And once you see that?
You start tearing boxes down everywhere.
That’s when she revisited a childhood memory: an assignment asking, “If you could be any animal, what would you be?”
Her answer as a kid: a rhino.
And that answer wasn’t random—it was identity.
Rhinos are misunderstood. They look dangerous. They wear “armor.” People assume they can take anything.
And when Yvette said that… it landed.
Because so many women are walking around like that too.
From “I Want to Volunteer” to “I’m Starting a Nonprofit”
After Landmark, Yvette told her (then boyfriend, now husband):
“I want to go to Africa and volunteer.”
His response?
“Can I come?”
(We love him.)
They went. They volunteered on a reserve in South Africa. And what she experienced rewired her:
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Conservation work is real work (yes, there are literally “animal monitoring” jobs)
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Wildlife is not inherently dangerous—disrespect is
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And most importantly… a lot of the conservation fundraising Americans see is not connected to what’s actually needed on the ground
She gave a clear example: she’d heard about “dying rhino horns pink” to reduce poaching—only to learn from researchers that it wasn’t a real solution.
And that’s when the idea formed:
People want to help. They just don’t know what’s legit.
Reclaimed Earth became the bridge.
The Power Move: Bringing Her “Lawyer Brain” Into Conservation
One of the most important moments of this episode was Yvette admitting she used to “turn off” her lawyer side in conservation rooms because she wanted to be accepted.
And then she realized:
Her legal training—negotiation, structure, strategy, connecting parties—might be the exact missing piece.
So she asked:
“What would I do if I approached rhino poaching like a lawyer?”
Answer: Get the stakeholders in the same room.
Because right now, rhino conservation is siloed:
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policy people
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veterinarians
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indigenous communities
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enforcement
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rangers
…often working in parallel, not together.
So Yvette is hosting a Rhino-focused conference in Miami on World Rhino Day (September 22) designed to break those silos and build coordinated action.
And yes—she’s looking for volunteers.
Rewild Zambezi: Moving 400 Elephants Instead of Killing Them
Yvette also shared one of Reclaimed Earth’s biggest active efforts: supporting Great Plains Conservation with a massive relocation project.
The reality is hard:
In some areas, elephant populations have outgrown the ecosystem’s capacity—especially with drought, fencing, and human expansion limiting natural migration.
So the solution isn’t “leave it alone.”
Sometimes the most ethical answer is intervention—because humans created the constraints.
This project aims to relocate 400 elephants:
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101 moved so far
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299 to go
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roughly $10,000 per elephant
It involves sedation, cranes, transport containers, and a 24-hour drive—plus monitoring and acclimation after relocation.
It’s expensive. It’s complex.
And it’s a direct example of what Yvette said perfectly:
We are an ecosystem. What happens to wildlife happens to us.
Want to Get Involved? You Actually Can.
Yvette also hosts small-group conservation trips (kept intentionally intimate—usually no more than 8 people) with experiences like:
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general conservation immersion
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rhino-focused experiences (including visiting orphaned rhinos and seeing conservation work up close)
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cheetah-focused trips
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elephant-focused trips
She shares these through Reclaimed Earth’s Instagram.
Final Takeaway
This episode is a reminder that impact doesn’t require a perfect background—it requires alignment.
Yvette didn’t need a conservation degree to change conservation.
She needed the courage to combine what she already knew with what she deeply cared about.
Your skills are not separate from your purpose.
They might be the delivery system for it.
Call to Action
If you want to explore Yvette Ayala’s work through Reclaimed Earth and see how conservation can be both heart-led and strategically funded.
Connect with Yvette Ayala here
Personal Instagram: @esqapades
Instagram: @reclaimedearthwildlife
Website: https://www.reclaimedearthwildlife.com
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