Well Known Wildlife Biologists, Naturalists, and Animal Trainers

From animal trainers, to wildlife biologists, conservationists, and naturalists, there are a few people who immediately come to mind when animal careers are mentioned.

For example, Cesar Millan (also known as The Dog Whisperer) has made a very successful career out of training dogs and their humans. Millan specializes in rehabilitating dogs that society has given up on, and the results have proven amazing, so much so that he has had his own television show, The Dog Whisperer, on National Geographic, as well as successful training service to share his wisdom.

Millan was born and raised in Mexico, and earned the nickname “El Perrero” (Spanish for “The Dogman”) because he always seemed to be surrounded by a pack of happy dogs. When he came to America, he broke beyond sit-stay training and tapped into dog psychology. Today, Millan is as famous for his techniques as he is for his results, and he has traveled the country imparting his dog training wisdom on dog owners far and wide. He also authored several books, including Cesar’s Way, which was a number-one fixture on the New York Times best seller list.

Another famous animal guy is Jeff Corwin, a wildlife biologist and the Emmy-winning host of Animal Planet’s The Jeff Corwin Experience. He has authored several books, including Living on the Edge: Amazing Relationships in the Natural World. In addition to hosting his television show, Corwin also delivers lectures on wildlife, ecology and conservation to audiences across the U.S.
He created EcoZone, an interactive museum and environmental education center in Norwell, Mass., where he grew up.

Corwin is an expert in rainforest animals, and he has a bachelor’s degree in biology and anthropology from Bridgewater State College, as well as a master’s degree in wildlife and fisheries conservation from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Animal handlers and wildlife experts can regularly be seen on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Morning Show, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Access Hollywood, Extra and other shows.

Students will no doubt recognize the name Jane Goodall for her work with chimpanzees, particularly those in East Africa (specifically Tanzania). Goodall was the first to observe chimps using tools much like humans do, which bridged the connection between man and ape more firmly.

Goodall received her PhD in ethology from Cambridge University in 1965, and then returned to Tanzania to conduct more research. She also established the Gombe Stream Research Centre. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education and Conservation to ensure her legacy of working with chimps would remain long after she was gone.

Lastly, the world mourned the loss of the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, who was born in February 1962 in Victoria. His family moved to Queensland in 1970 to start a small reptile park at Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast, which is now Australia Zoo. This is where Irwin developed his true passion for living creatures and his insatiable desire for knowledge and the sharing of that information with others. When his parents retired in 1991, Steve stepped in to run the show.

Irwin volunteered with the Queensland Governments East Coast Crocodile Management program. In June 1992, Steve married Terri Raines, and they spent their married lives dedicated to the cause of informing people about wildlife and helping animals. Irwin died in 2006 after his chest was fatally pierced by a stingray barb while filming in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.