Cholla Rose Duirwas born in Tucson, AZ and raised throughout the Southwestern region. Cholla’s nonconformist parents instilled a deep appreciation for the natural world, art and social justice in their children. Cholla’s childhood experiences living in many different communities has taught her to respect the school of hard knocks, traditional knowledge and formal education equally. Cholla has always felt a kinship with animals and spent many years advocating for them through animal shelter and wildlife rehabilitation work.
Cholla has a particular interest in investigating human animal partnerships that lead to climate change mitigation such as, restoring beaver populations to increase groundwater storage. Cholla holds an AS degree in Veterinary Technology and a BA degree in Sustainability Studies from Colorado Mountain College. Cholla currently splits her time living between Patagonia and Tucson, AZ with her husband, daughter, and assembly of critters.