Lisle Gwynn

A native of the southern heathlands of England, Lisle has been a naturalist and dedicated ‘birder’ since early childhood. After an undergraduate degree in Geography, and 6 months on a Spanish ferry as a whale watching guide, a DST-NRF scholarship led him to study birds of prey and fynbos-endemic bird communities at the University of Cape Town. After 3 years in the Southern African bush being stalked by big cats and convincing farmers not to persecute wildlife, he returned to the ocean in the Arctic and South Pacific to conduct marine mammal surveys and research, before settling into a varied career as an expedition guide, naturalist, ornithologist, ecologist, expedition leader, consultant and wildlife and birding tour leader.

From the Solomon Islands to East Antarctica, Papua New Guinea to Ethiopia, the Russian Arctic to Madagascar, Lisle’s passions for wildlife, photography and adventure have led him across 70+ countries and 7 continents, by way of time at sea measured in years. Along the way he has gathered experience with more than 6,000 species of bird and 85% of the world’s seabirds and marine mammals, a wealth of experience he revels in sharing with others in the field. Ultimately, he has built a reputation as calm, unflappable, resourceful, entertaining and exactly the person you want by your side on the rare occasion that things don’t go to plan.