In this episode, I speak with global change and tropical conservation biologist Professor Tim Bonebrake, recorded in the primary tropical rainforest at Danum Valley Conservation Area, Malaysian Borneo. Now Director of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, Tim shares how childhood adventures in national parks sparked a lifelong passion for biodiversity.

With over 20 years of experience in the field researching birds, butterflies, pangolins and tropical ecosystems, Tim reflects on the challenges of studying global change, especially the urgent need for more biodiversity data from the tropics. He also shares what gives him hope:from emerging technologies like computer vision-assisted species identification, to the energy of collaborating with curious, committed people working toward the same conservation goals: for people, planet, and profit.

We also discuss his new book, Crime andPangolins: Conservation and Public Health Lessons from a Mammalian MurderMystery, a true crime-inspired exploration of public health linked to wildlife trade of pangolins, what are the conservation issues and how do we address them?

Explore Tim’s work at https://tropicalconslab.com.

In this episode, marine biologist Dr Julio A Díaz shares his fascinating research into sponge taxonomy. Currently based at the Museum of Evolution, Uppsala University, he reflects on what drew him to describing new species, the challenges he’s encountered in the field, and what gives him hope for the future of marine biodiversity. We explore why ocean conservation must be grounded in evidence, the urgent need for continued exploration, and why protecting our oceans matters, for people, planet, and profit.

A podcast about people, planet & profit.