Mark Carwardine

Biographical Information
"Mark Carwardine is a zoologist, an active and outspoken conservationist, an award-winning writer, a TV and radio presenter, a widely published wildlife photographer, a magazine columnist and a conservation consultant.

"He co-presented the six-part BBC2 television series Last Chance to See, with Stephen Fry, in which the unlikely duo travelled the world in search of endangered species (following in the footsteps of a similar journey Mark made with Douglas Adams 20 years before). He also co-presented The Museum of Life (BBC2, spring 2010), Last Chance to See: Return of the Rhino (BBC2, October 2010), with Stephen Fry, and Stephen Fry and the Great American Oil Spill (BBC2, November 2010). Mark presented, too, the weekly half-hour radio programme Nature, on BBC Radio 4, for many years.

"He has written more than 50 books (including several bestsellers) and hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, and has been writing a provocative monthly column in BBC Wildlife magazine since January 2004.

"Mark continues to be Chairman of the Judging Panel of the prestigious Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition, jointly owned by BBC Wildlife magazine and the Natural History Museum, since 2005. His own extensive collection of wildlife and conservation photographs, taken in more than 100 countries, is sold through this site and picture agencies around the world.

"Mark has co-founded several wildlife-tour companies over the years, including Wild Oceans, Discover the World and Ocean Wanderers, although now only has time to lead occasional wildlife or wildlife-photography tours.

"He worked for several international conservation organisations in the 1980s and now advises many on a consultancy basis. He spends a lot of time voluntarily raising funds and awareness for conservation and holds official positions in several different wildlife charities."

"He worked for several international conservation organisations (the World Wide Fund for Nature, in England; the United Nations Environment Programme, in Kenya; and the World Conservation Union, in Switzerland) before going freelance in 1986. He now advises other international conservation bodies on a variety of conservation and development issues on a freelance consultancy basis.

"In a voluntary capacity, he also spends a lot of time raising funds and awareness for wildlife conservation. And he holds official positions in several different wildlife charities: he is a Council Member of the World Land Trust, Vice-President and Conservation Advisor of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, Senior Consultant to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS), Vice-President of Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), Vice-President of Avon Wildlife Trust, Patron of Save the Rhino, and Patron of ORCA. Please see the links page for more information on other charities Mark supports."