The Man Who Speaks for the Animals

“Do you like to watch animals?” he asks. Speaking from his home in New Hampshire, George Schaller’s curiosity is evident, even though he is the one being interviewed. The world’s leading field biologist has been described as singleminded and practical, ever focused on the task at hand. That’s all the more remarkable when one considers the enormity of Schaller’s to-do list, which includes items like convincing China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan to share a wildlife preserve; befriending Indigenous hunters in the Amazon rainforest; examining and measuring all giant panda poop droppings for five years; and becoming one of the first Western scientists to assess Mongolia’s conservation plans.

Born in Berlin, Germany, in 1933, Schaller’s curiosity has led him to profound discoveries with endangered and iconic wildlife, from Mongolia’s snow leopards to Brazil’s jaguars to Central Africa’s mountain gorillas. For over half a century, he’s worked with the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs international conservation programs all over the