In this episode of Women in Wild Places, host Gabriella sits down with Dr. Iva Njunjić, a cave biologist, National Geographic Explorer, and co-founder of Taxon Expeditions, to explore the hidden worlds beneath our feet.

Dr. Iva studies life in extreme underground environments, focusing on cave-dwelling insects and biodiversity in some of the most remote places on Earth. Her work has taken her to Europe’s deep cave systems, rainforests in Borneo, the Amazon and more. She shares how a childhood visit to a cave at age 13 sparked her lifelong passion for exploration and science, and what it takes physically, mentally, and technicallyto access places few humans ever see.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Why nearly 80% of Earth’s species may still be undiscovered
• How caves function as “living laboratories” for evolution
• The story behind naming a beetle after Leonardo DiCaprio
• Why insects and small organisms are essential to ecosystems
• How citizen science helps protect biodiversity
• What it means to care for the natural world without burnout
• Practical ways anyone can support conservation in daily life

Dr. Iva also explains how Taxon Expeditions allows everyday people to join real scientific research expeditions and help document new species around the world.

This episode is for anyone interested in conservation, biodiversity, cave exploration, citizen science, environmental protection, and reconnecting with nature above ground and below.

🎧 Listen now to learn how paying attention to the smallest creatures can change how we see the planet.

Links & Resources

🔬 Dr. Iva Njunjić

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cavernella/
  

🌍 Taxon Expeditions

• Website: https://www.taxonexpeditions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taxonexpeditions/

🎙️ Women in Wild Places Podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womeninwildplaces/
Host: https://www.instagram.com/outsidegabs/

Substack: https://substack.com/@womeninwildplaces?

Cover Image by Sotiris Kountouras / Taxon Expeditions