From Oceans to Outback: Denmark’s Vet Student Making Waves in Wildlife and Marine Conservation
Meet Denmark’s fifth-year veterinary student who’s rewriting what it means to study medicine for animals, all while exploring the world. If Cirkeline Olsen’s Instagram feed doesn’t convince you she’s living a double life as both a vet-in-training and full-time adventurer, her stories will: think diving with marine life by day, studying complex animal physiology by night, and sharing her journey with thousands online.
A certified divemaster, she spends more time under the waves than most people do on land. Yet her heart isn’t just in the ocean, she’s equally passionate about horses, wildlife, and advancing animal welfare worldwide. After graduation next winter, her plan is simple: travel the globe, volunteering on wildlife and marine veterinary projects, learning hands-on skills and giving animals a voice where it’s needed most.
But the path hasn’t always been obvious. “I actually considered being a doctor,” she admits, laughing. “The first year was all online during COVID, and between endless chemistry and Zoom lectures, I had my doubts.” Fortunately, her adventurous spirit, curiosity, and unwavering love for animals won out.
Her approach to veterinary medicine is as bold as her life outside the clinic. She took a year off after her bachelor’s degree to travel the world, gaining perspective on how veterinary care is practiced differently across cultures. “It was the best decision I ever made,” she says. “I came back hungry to learn again and inspired to focus on quality of life for animals, not just production or performance metrics.”
For her, passion, curiosity, and communication are as important as anatomy or pharmacology. “Social skills are half the job,” she says. “You can have all the knowledge in the world, but if you can’t educate or connect with people, it doesn’t matter.” That mindset carries through in her social media storytelling, where she blends education with awe-inspiring visuals from her travels, dives, and equestrian adventures.
Her heroes? None other than Jane Goodall, admired for her empathy, persistence, and dedication to animals. And she mirrors those qualities in her own life, prioritizing resilience, compassion, and passion in everything she does. Her ultimate goal? To protect coral reefs and marine ecosystems, bringing attention to the plight of marine life facing rising temperatures and human impact.
Looking ahead, she envisions a future as a veterinarian with a passport full of stamps, memories of wildlife rescues, and firsthand experience in conservation projects worldwide. She also hopes to inspire the next generation of vets to think globally, act compassionately, and never underestimate the power of curiosity and courage.
In short, she’s not just a veterinary student, she’s an explorer, storyteller, and advocate for animals everywhere. And if there’s one thing she’s teaching all of us, it’s that a career in veterinary medicine can be an adventure that stretches from the deepest oceans to the farthest corners of the earth.
