About

I’m a zoologist/entomologist, author and presenter/on-screen expert. I’ve been fascinated by animals for as long as I can remember, an interest that led to a prize-winning, first class degree in zoology at Bangor University and a PhD in insect ecology at the University of Leeds. My scientific publications can be seen here.

As well as observing and studying the animals I can find here in the UK I’ve travelled widely in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Southeast Asia, ever searching for interesting and elusive beasts. I’ve always had a soft-spot for the arthropods, but the sheer diversity of animal forms and lifestyles mesmerises me, which was the motivation for my book – Animal Earth. This book is an unbiased exploration and celebration of animal diversity illustrated with more than 500 stunning images. It has been translated into German, Japanese and Chinese. To date, it has sold at least 23,000 copies and is on the reading list for zoology students at many universities around the world. This book is currently being revised and updated for a new release. My other books include How to Read an Insect, which which includes many of insect macro-photographs and The Wonder of Insects, the superb illustrations in which are by Carim Nahaboo. I’m currently developing some new book ideas.

I’m enthusiastic to share my fascination for the incredible living things that surround us with anyone who will listen. I was part of an expedition to Burma with the BBC Natural History Unit as a presenter, the product of which was broadcast as the three part series – Wild Burma: Nature’s Lost Kingdom – on BBC 2. This was the first time in sixty years that a large film crew had been allowed into the country and during my time over there I discovered a new genus and several new species.  During the first broadcast of this series, each episode was seen by two million people in the UK alone and it has since been repeated here many times and broadcast around the world, with total views in the tens of millions. My youtube clips, such as this one, have had over a million views in total. 

I have featured as a presenter/on-screen expert on the CBBC series, Wild (live and recorded segments), the Sky 1 series, Extreme Fears, Extreme Cures where I helped ten arachnophobes overcome their fear and I have done some filming as an on-screen expert for the BBC’s World’s Weirdest Events. I provide consultancy services for TV production companies and publishers who produce natural history content. I have also presented on short films for conservation charities and facilitated at conservation conferences. I give talks to all sorts of audiences around the world. 

Here’s an interview from Mongabay where I discuss my introduction to zoology and Animal Earth. My work has been very widely covered in the media, some of which you can see here.

In addition to the above, much of my work in the UK centres on ecologically consultancy for developers and conservation organisations. Via the former, I have been able to contribute to some considerable successes in the protection of UK habitats.

I take groups of students and professionals to the tropics to teach them about tropical biodiversity, especially insects. These courses are run in Peru and Costa Rica.

I am a Green Party Councillor, which has enabled me to contribute to local conservation initiatives, such as the establishment of new nature nature reserves. 

Thanks to Patrick Avery, Anwar Mamon, Justine Evans and Adam Oldroyd for the images above.