Biologist and conservationist

Over his long and distinguished career as a field biologist, George Schaller has worked tirelessly to ensure the survival of some of the world's rarest species, even being named 'the greatest force for conservation in more than a century' (Scott Wallace, National Geographic).

Born in Berlin in 1933, his mission to understand and conserve some of the world's most charismatic species began in the late 1950s, when George embarked on a study of the mountain gorillas living on the Virunga volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His work was the first of its kind and went on to become a bible for those following in his footsteps.

'My interest in wildlife began early and I don't know how early because it's the only thing I've ever been interested in. I've always had a certain curiosity, a certain wonder about the natural world. I like to be outdoors. A love of animals and a love of outdoors is the principal thing. You have to have emotional involvement in what you do.' - George Schaller

After gorillas, Schaller turned his attention to wild mountain sheep and goats, snow leopards, jaguars, lions, giant pandas and many more in a career that has spanned 50 years and as many countries.

He was the first person to see the world's rarest bovine, the saola, and rediscovered the Vietnamese warty pig and the Tibetan red deer, both thought to be extinct. He surveyed snow leopards in Mongolia, China, Afghanistan, Nepal and Tajikistan and turned many of his explorations into beautiful literary accounts of life in the field.

Schaller's biggest contribution to the wild species he loves so much was his role in establishing reserves and national parks for their protection – setting up five of the great reserves across the globe.

Schaller's studies provide unparalleled insight into some of the world's most endangered creatures. For this reason, he is considered one of the founding fathers of conservation biology, turning study sites into protected areas.