Naturalist education, travel, and photography by
Braelei Hardt.

low angle photo of pine trees

Who is the Nature Maven?

Braelei is a freelance wildlife biologist, conservationist, photographer,  and naturalist tour guide located in Denver, Colorado.

Braelei’s interest in the natural world began at a young age, blossoming into a passion for predatory raptors that resulted into an intensive volunteer commitment to the Cascades Raptor Center education and rehabilitation facility in Eugene, Oregon, as well as a foray into the ancient sport of falconry

Braelei went on to earn an Honor’s B.S. in Wildlife Science and Statistics from Oregon State University. Later, they achieved a M.S. in Biology from the University of Colorado, where they focused on evolutionary ecology and bioacoustic physics. 

Currently, Braelei focuses on providing scientifically and culturally accurate information on the beautiful and landscapes of the world in hopes of inspiring passion for the protection of our fragile ecosystems.

Photography


Through photography, I hope to expose others to the stories of the world. I take care to include information on the biological, geological, conservation, or historical impact of each photo I take.

View my gallery and shop for prints, mugs, yoga mats, bags, and more below!


Gallery and Shop

Research


Interested in behind-the-scenes information on field biology? Visit my research page to learn more about how the environment affects how animals communicate, how having siblings influences animal stress,  current conservation projects, and more!


Research Page

Education


Itching for a naturalist lesson? Visit my blog to discover a conservationist’s view on current events in wildlife and climate science, in addition to stories about animal behavior, field work, travel, and photography.


Visit Blog

Tour Colorado

Interested in a day in the mountains with me? Book a tour of Rocky Mountain National Park, Mt. Evans, and more through Aspire Tours. Be sure to request me as a guide!

Book Now

Tourist Testimonials

Reviews from past visitors

Rocky Mountain National Park


“Braelei brings a great personality as a tour guide, plus a deep knowledge of wildlife explained in a way that I could actually understand. I mean, someone who knows about the different animals, their calls, their social habits, and has studied their individual personality traits– so fascinating and simply unforgettable.”

Glen L

Breckenridge




Our guide, Braelei, was super knowledgeable about everything we did! It is apparent that they are truly inspired by what they do. That made the whole experience that much better!


Mason G

Denver Foothills


Our tour guide was engaging and intelligent– I am a history teacher and LEARNED so much from Braelei. They made the group comfortable, which led to a really fun trip with giggles and views!

Vicki S

Mt. Evans


Braelei truly is walking talking encyclopedia, but interesting! They are conscientious, patient, enthusiastic, and seem generally interest in their work as a guide.

Laura F

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