Simon Pierce

Dr. Simon J Pierce is a co-founder and Principal Scientist at the Marine Megafauna Foundation (www.marinemegafauna.org), where he developed and leads the global whale shark research and conservation program. Simon is also a member of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and a Science Advisor to the Wildbook for Whale Sharks global database.

Simon holds a BSc in Ecology from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, and a PhD in marine biology from The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Simon began working with whale sharks in Mozambique in 2005, and now leads and collaborates on shark conservation biology and population ecology research programs across the world.

Simon is also an award-winning wildlife photographer, and writes about wildlife travel on his website, Nature Tripper (www.naturetripper.com)