Courtney Harwell

Courtney began her zoological career in Arizona. While finishing her Bachelor’s degree and climbing her way across the southwest, she visited a safari park near Sedona. It was there that she fell in love with a giraffe named Kibo. The timing was right and she was hired as a keeper soon after that first visit. She went on to manage the ungulate department for 12 years before moving to Europe at the height of the pandemic to pursue a Master’s degree in Biodiversity and Conservation at Trinity College Dublin. While living in Ireland, she became a licensed falconer, caring for birds of prey at the #1 resort in the world (Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards). Working at Longneck Manor as the Director of Conservation allows her to focus her efforts on raising awareness and funds for endangered species, while simultaneously training and caring for giraffes and rhinos. Rick’s vision has given her a platform for promoting conservation action, and she is proud to say she works for a non-profit facility that has been so successful thus far in not only preserving animals and habitats but also in helping visitors to fall in love with giraffes just like she did. (oh and she is also married to Jeff)