Ian Rowlands, Guide and Lecturer on Wildlife, World-Saving and Well-being

LECTURES

“Evenings like this are an inspiration. It's easy to forget why we are
doing it when you spend all day in a supermarket foyer, as a charity membership recruiter, talking to a largely apathetic audience.
An evening like this puts it all back in perspective.”
Steve P

“It was an outstanding evening and everyone involved was delighted.
As I said to you at the time, you fired up the audience in a way
I didn't think was possible!”
Diana S

“It was certainly one of the best talks we have ever had”
Jacqueline W

I’ve built up something of a reputation as a public speaker and have delivered over 300 presentations to diverse events and audiences all over the UK. I am passionate about reconnecting people with nature, and the power of the natural world to make us feel good – all of which infuse my entertaining wildlife talks. Contact me if you’d be interested in a talk. I can promise you a thoroughly professional presentation – engaging, entertaining and fun.

The Talks
I’m always adding new presentations but these are some of my most popular talks:

OVERSEAS

Yellowstone and Grand Teton Birds & mammals ‘where hell bubbles up’!

These two National Parks are one of the largest temperate-zone ecosystems on Earth but with hotels, easy roads and friendly rangers to make it easy. Once rumoured to be "the place where hell bubbles up", birds include Pine Grosbeak, Great Grey Owl and Steller’s Jay, plus it’s home to Bison, Moose, Beaver, Grizzly and Black Bear and, famously, re-introduced Wolves.

Spitsbergen Birds and Polar Bears and Arctic Dreams

Spitsbergen is only 800 miles from the North Pole but ocean currents make it the easiest-to-reach Arctic. Amidst peaks, glaciers, sea ice and 16 million Little Auks, incomparable Arctic birds like Long-tailed Skua, Ivory Gull, Grey Phalarope and King Eider live, and Polar Bears stalk seals and Walrus. A wild ice-kingdom that’s in peril, here you can live your Arctic dreams.

Baja California - Mexico’s Galapagos

Baja California is where the BBC showed Stephen Fry touching a Grey Whale! It’s the finger of Mexico that joins California - a bird and wildlife paradise with hummingbirds amidst 50’ cacti, uninhabited islands with unique reptiles, offshore shearwaters and petrels, plus shorebirds on beaches. It’s where the BBC filmed ‘Blue Planet’ and Blue Whales . . . come and see why.

Nova Scotia Canada, closer than you think

Connected to Scotland and Norway millions of year ago, it’s now just a 5-hour flight to the rocky shores of ‘New Scotland’. Beautiful forests and lakes host colourful warblers, spectacular waders, loon, plus raptors including Bald Eagle. Moose, Beaver and Black Bear are here, plus seabirds and large whales are close inshore, including leaping Humpbacks – truly spectacular stuff!

Over the Sea to Spain Just across the water . . .

Northern Spain is wild, wonderful and forgotten - even getting there offers superb whale- and dolphin-watching, plus great seabirds. From the Picos de Europa to the Cantabrian Mountains, and from rolling plains to the Portuguese border there are birds such as Wallcreeper, Great Bustard, and Black Woodpecker, plus butterflies and mammals too, including chances to see Europe’s bears and wolves!

Secret Mediterranean Wildlife off the beaten track

Incredible birds, mammals, butterflies, wild flowers, dolphins, whales and more, inhabit hidden spots in Greece, Crete, Andalucia and Italy. Amidst maquis, garrigue, pines, limestone hills, and sea sanctuaries, the deep blue mediterraneus (‘in the middle of the earth’) is easy for us to get to. Discover magical endangered wildlife in places your friends may never have heard about.

UK & OVERSEAS

Whales, Waves and Seabirds Britain’s coastal wildlife

In a fresh look at the fabulous seabirds and other birds and mammals around our coasts, we visit the UK’s hotspots to see the whales, dolphins and porpoises that have been recorded in British waters. From southern England’s shores to Shetland (and a bit farther too!) there are incredible birds, some marvelous land mammals and some thrilling ‘big’ wildlife experiences!

Untamed Britain ‘Born to be Wild?’! Wild landscapes, creatures and us

Wilderness really can be found in Britain – we have Sea Eagles, Otters, deer, and Killer Whales to mention just a few ‘wild’ creatures – and in all sorts of places, from the untouched wilderness of the Cairngorms, to wild woods on our doorsteps. With stunning images discover where to find ‘the Wild’, and how to get connect . . . finding your ‘wild side’ may be far easier than you’d guess!

Sea Eagles, Beavers . . . Wolves? Can we find space for Britain’s lost animals?

Red Kites, Sea Eagles and Beavers have been returned to our island - thought-provoking conservation success stories. We look at these but also examine the Wolves, Lynx, Elk (Moose) and more that are coming back naturally all across Europe, and all of which we’ve lost in Britain. Discover the wolves, other mammals, and of course birds, that perhaps we could have back again.

Scotland The Wilderness on Your Doorstep

Speyside, with its ancient Caledonian pines, lochs, moors and Cairngorm mountains . . . home to Capercaillie, Golden Eagle, Crested Tit, Ptarmigan, Scottish Crossbill, Slavonian Grebe and many more. Then the coastline, including the Moray Firth, the weed-strewn shores of the west coast, and an island ‘taster’, where seabirds, Sea Eagles, Otters and Minke Whales are the stars.

Tooth & Claw
Britain's wild predators and the way we feel about them

I contributed to a marvelous Pete Cairns and Mark Hamblin project, getting under the skin of our attitudes towards predators. How we really feel about issues such as Sea Eagles, Fox hunting, Sparrowhawks in our gardens, domestic cats and even the reintroduction of Wolves. The result is a fascinating insight – brought to life by spectacular and previously unseen photography. It asks questions of ourselves: as the most powerful predator of all. See also www.toothandclaw.org.uk
A promotional CD featuring sample images is available upon request

Fees

Fees vary from £150-350 depending upon presentation and the nature of the group. This fee may include travel costs. Drop me a line or give me a call for details.

Brief Biography
If you require a brief biography to copy for your programme notes:

Ian worked for the RSPB and the wildlife trusts, and lived in the Scottish Highlands for 20 years running wildlife tour company Speyside Wildlife. He now co-runs the world’s whalewatching website Planet Whale, plus is a freelance writer and lecturer.

Passionate about reconnecting people with nature, and the power of the natural world to make us feel good; he’s also a keen birder, naturalist, and an optimistic Spurs fan!

So I was in my car, and I was driving along, and my boss rang up, and he said "You've been promoted." And I swerved. And then he rang up a
second time and said "You've been promoted again." And I swerved again.
He rang up a third time and said "You're managing director."
And I went into a tree. A policeman came up and said
"What happened to you?" And I said "I careered off the road."
Tommy Cooper

Grizzly Bear, Grizzly Footprints, Great Grey Owl

Hornsund Spitsbergen, Polar Bears Spitsbergen

Wolf, Ibertian Lynx, Short-beakded Common Dolphins

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