The Most Influential Wildlife Conservationists You've Never Heard of: George & Kay Schaller's Groundbreaking Life by Biographer Miriam Horn

About this episode

Miriam Horn discusses the groundbreaking contributions of wildlife conservationists George and Kay Schaller.

Author and environmental advocate Miriam Horn brings the pioneering impact of wildlife conservationist George Schaller to life in her new book “Homesick for a World Unknown: The Life of George B. Schaller.” Since the 1950’s, George, often along with his wife Kay (an anthropologist), pioneered the fieldwork of living peacefully amongst large, wild/free-living animals like snow leopards, gorillas, lions, tigers, jaguars, giant pandas, Tibetan antelope, Marco Polo sheep, and Gobi bears in remote habitats, that helped pave the way for humane conservationists like Jane Goodall and Dianne Fossey, recognizing animal agency and their "theory of mind." Schaller also created parks and preserves all around the world to save vital wilderness habitat. Why have most of us never heard of him?! It's important that the Schallers' legacy is intimately detailed through Miriam's wonderful storytelling to fully appreciate how they went to wild places few scientists had ventured, persevered in tough and often politically fraught conditions, trained a cadre of young local scientists around so many nations to protect their local wildlife, published scientific books and articles proving wild animals'…

People in this episode

Host: Carrie Freeman

Guest: Miriam Horn

Topics covered

• wildlife conservation
• environmental advocacy
• animal agency
• fieldwork
• scientific research

Keywords

• wildlife conservation
• George Schaller
• Kay Schaller
• Miriam Horn
• animal agency
• fieldwork
• humane conservation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: In Tune to Nature

Books & works: Homesick for a World Unknown: The Life of George B. Schaller

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