Mike Dilger has been an obsessive naturalist since childhood, equally at home either on his hands and knees identifying British grasshoppers or surveying the Amazon for hummingbirds. With university degrees in Botany and Ecology, Mike’s obsession with the tropics began when studying moths in the Ecuadorian Andes. This then led to a period of five years spent surveying the tropical forests of South America, East Africa and Southeast Asia. Finally returning back to Britain to find a job in television, Mike has become a household onscreen figure and is probably best known for over 450 appearances as BBC1’s ‘wild man’ on The One Show.
When asked about his new role as Ambassador to Rainforest Concern this is what he said:
"As a Naturalist and Broadcaster I’m perhaps best known as the ‘wild man’ from The One Show who pontificates about everything from bumblebees to basking sharks. However one of the lesser known facts about my career is that I used to work as Rainforest Concern’s Resident Biologist out in the cloud forests of Ecuador, prior to embarking in a career on television. It was here, in amongst the booted racquet-tails and bromeliads, that I fell in love with South America’s wildlife, and fully appreciated the importance of protecting such vital biodiversity hotspots. By helping to safeguard rainforest habitat, Rainforest Concern not only protects a whole raft of rare and endangered species calling the forest home, but also helps preserve these vital carbon sinks which are on the frontline of turning around the juggernaut of climate change. I have closely followed the work of Rainforest Concern’s crucial conservation work ever since returning to the UK, and so was both honoured and delighted when asked to become their first Ambassador. Forest habitats and their wildlife need a voice like never before, but all is not lost, and I’m up for the fight if you are.”
- Mike Dilger, Naturalist, Broadcaster and proud Ambassador of Rainforest Concern.
