This is really the crux of the taxonomy crisis. There is now a shortage of trainees, but it's not because of a lack of interest or even funding for students. It's because for the past 30 years, funding has been *only* for students, not for jobs for them after they finish. So they do other things. 🧪

I know because I'm one of them! Over the past 10 years I've described close to 300 species, with no funding and on my days off from my regular job in conservation. Lots of taxa don't have someone like that. 🧪