After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities followed by a Masters in Environmental Assessment and Management, John’s passion for wildlife eventually led him into a much-enjoyed guiding job in the Peruvian Amazon. Following a year spent revealing the wonders of the Amazon to visitors from around the world, John became manager of a pioneering lodge, the Manu Wildlife Centre, in the fauna-packed Manu lowland rainforests of Peru. While there his interest in wildlife and natural history tourism increased exponentially and he was privileged to have many unusual wildlife encounters. To this day John still holds the lodge record for the number of tapir sightings in a 24-hour period, at 19.
Following his managing the lodge, John was employed as a handler and location scout for wildlife film crews from the UK and USA, has carried out wildlife consultancy work in Gabon, Republic of the Congo, and Cambodia, and visited Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.
During his seven years based in Peru, where he met his wife, Patty, and subsequently after their return to England, John has worked one way or another in natural history tourism and also travelled extensively in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, Guyana, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico.
When not working or travelling, John likes to play football, run with his local hash house harriers, and explore Dartmoor and the coast with his young family.