Hsuan-Yi Lo was born in Tainan, Taiwan. Her love for nature started when she was young, influenced by her father. He often took her and her sister hiking in the mountains. Even when she felt scared of strange-looking insects, her father encouraged them to observe and learn about these animals. Though he was not a wildlife expert, his passion made Lo interested in forests and outdoor activities.

Lo chose to work in wildlife conservation simply because she loved nature. After completing her graduate studies, she considered continuing academic research but found scientific work challenging. During her work in the forest, she saw many problems faced by wild animals — stray dogs attacking them, habitat destruction, and poisoning from human waste. Most people did not notice these problems, but Lo cared deeply for animals and wanted to help. She realized that teaching people about conservation was very important.