Jonathan Rossouw
I’m a biodiversity junkie and nothing gives me greater joy than sharing my passion for wildlife with others.
Expedition Leader Jonathan Rossouw
Jonathan Rossouw is one of the world’s most experienced expedition leaders, having spent the past 25 years guiding wildlife trips in over 150 countries on all seven continents. He combines a legendary energy and enthusiasm with a broad knowledge of natural history, gained from a lifetime spent in pursuit of the world’s mammals, birds, reptiles and coral reef fishes. Indeed, having seen over 9,000 species of birds, 1,000 mammals and 2,000 coral reef fishes, he has the dubious distinction of having experienced more species of vertebrate animals than anyone in history! A medical doctor by training, Jonathan was born and raised on South Africa’s east coast. After a “short break” from medicine to cycle across South America led to an epiphany about the conservation benefits of ecotourism, he returned to South Africa and started a birding travel company, before expanding into the world of global, conservation-focused expedition travel that now dominates his life.
"When it comes to expedition travel, in particular, one needs to be led by a knowledgeable, enthusiastic, entertaining and confidence-inspiring professional. We have yet to meet anyone quite like Jonathan who so completely ticks all these boxes!!"
-Pat G., Durban
Jonathan's Expeditions
Sub-Antarctic Islands of New Zealand with Macquarie Island (December 5–21, 2023) 
The remote southern islands visited on this voyage are home to some of the most spectacular aggregations of endangered wildlife on the planet.
Cape to Cape (March 1–24, 2024)
The ultimate South Atlantic Adventure! In addition to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, expedition highlights include Gough, Tristan da Cunha and Nightingale Islands.
Spain (August 28 – September 11, 2024)
Cantabrian Brown Bear and Western Spanish Ibex compete with exceptional regional food, wine, and cultural heritage on our Spain expedition.
Bali to Cairns (October 13 – November 1, 2024)
Experience Komodo Dragons, Whale Sharks, Birds of Paradise, and the richest coral reefs on Earth, on an epic traverse across Indonesia’s remote eastern provinces.
Colombia (November 4–19, 2024)
Discover Colombia’s mix of natural history and rich culture from bustling Bogotá to charming Cartagena, along with the Sierra Nevadas and rainbow-hued Caño Cristales.
Ask Jonathan a question about his upcoming expeditions?
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Biodiversity, 'tis the Spice of Life…
The term “biological diversity” was first coined in the 1960s to describe the degree of variation of life, with its contracted form “biodiversity” only coming into general parlance by the mid-1980s. Simply stated, biodiversity is the sum total of all life on Earth, or the wealth of species, ecosystems, and ecological processes that make up our living planet. It has been argued that biodiversity has a value in and of itself, and an ability to appreciate this value may be one of the traits that makes us human.
