Kate Evans

Dr. Kate Evans is an award-winning behavioral ecologist and conservation biologist. Upon completing her BSc (Hons) in Zoology, during which she studied the meerkats of the Kalahari, she gathered field experience that saw her researching the ecology of the insects of the Namib to the social interactions of the Samango monkey of South Africa. She then returned to academia to complete her Master’s degree in the parasitology of lion, before undertaking her Ph.D. on adolescent male African elephant in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

With over 20 years of experience as a field biologist throughout Southern Africa on a variety of species, as well as a childhood living in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Nordics, she has a solid understanding of the challenges of conservation, the complexities of resource competition, the implications of policies and the importance of stakeholder relationships.

Kate heads up an international team researching male elephants, is on the board of an environmental organization and a member of groups involved in human-wildlife competition, conservation and biodiversity. Her passion for the natural world is infectious and she loves spending time in the wilderness and experiencing different cultures.

Don Wilson

Don Wilson is Curator Emeritus of Mammals at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and was named senior scientist in January 2000. Don was director of the Smithsonian's Biodiversity Programs for ten years. A distinguished mammalogist and an internationally recognized authority on bats, he earned his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of New Mexico. He is the author of over 270 scientific publications and 30 books, including the highly acclaimed 9-volume series Handbook of Mammals of the World. For the last 50 years, his work has taken him around the world conducting field work and research. He has led tours for Smithsonian Journeys to most of the world's greatest natural history destinations, from Antarctica to Zimbabwe. Don loves to share his passion for the natural world, and his easygoing nature, sense of humor, and excellent presentations have earned him much praise and a loyal following from Smithsonian travelers.