Field Biologist, TV Presenter and Wildlife Filmmaker Dan O’Neill has presented for the BBC, National Geographic, Sky TV and Love Nature, to name a few, and Dan is currently in production for a both new BBC series and a high-profile feature length documentary for a top global streamer.
Dan is a magnetic personality with a huge depth of knowledge of the natural world. An active scientist,he spends much of his time working as a senior biologist on field research expeditions across the remote regions of the world. Dan’s primary area of expertise is large mammal behavioural and spatial ecology having worked with jaguars, tigers, and most notably snow leopards, as the Snow Leopard Trust’s first Explorer in Residence.
Dan is proudly and notably the first openly LGBTQ wildlife presenter to host a series for a major network. In 2024, Dan fronted the National Geographic series, Zombie Animals. While in 2023, he hosted Giants, a globe-trotting series for Curiosity Stream. His upcoming series Snow Leopards with Dan O'Neill premieres this year on Love Nature and Sky TV. He has also featured in Attitude Magazine a number of times, including on a digital cover, as well as leading Attitude’s 101 Trailblazers’ STEM
category this year.
With no clear role model for the LGBTQ community in wildlife and adventure TV, Dan decided to fill that gap. Having soared to success over the last few years, Dan is becoming a familiar face on our screens and is best known for his adventurous spirit, broad knowledge base and comedic character. He has cumulatively spent many years in frozen mountains and deep jungles and as such has a myriad of stories and anecdotes to bring up during his talks.
Having faced discrimination due to his sexuality from a young age, including being told to ‘play down the fact that [I’m] gay’ at work, Dan has become a passionate advocate for the LGBTQ community. He champions diversity and is vocal about the need to ‘see more marginalised groups in front of the camera’. Dan strives to be a positive role model for a new generation, and hopes to inspire those in the LGBTQ community to be brave.
Previous talks have centred around inclusivity in adventure, building your confidence, and breaking into the industry as an LGBTQ person. With themes of resilience and drive interweaved within stories from some of the wildest and most remote corners of the globe, Dan is guaranteed to engage, educate and motivate.
Testimonials
We were incredibly fortunate to have Dan captivate our audience with his compelling and dynamic talk for WWF-UK's 'Young Voices For Nature' project. His expertise resonated profoundly with the young participants in the program, leaving them inspired. Dan's talk ignited a newfound passion within the workshop attendees, propelling them towards embarking on their personal journeys into the realm of wildlife filmmaking. Notably, his words served as a catalyst, intensifying their dedication to environmental conservation. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dan for this transformative experience, and we eagerly anticipate the prospect of collaborating with him again in the times ahead at WWF-UK. Artists & Influencers Team @WWF-UK
“Just had the amazing opportunity to join an incredible workshop from Dan O'Neill. I am so happy I could listen and ask questions about wildlife filmmaking. I wish I could learn much more from Dan and I am so grateful for the opportunity to listen. Thank you to Young Voices for Nature for making my dreams come true. And thank you Dan O'Neill for making me inspired and motivated and giving us incredible tips for our future in wildlife conservation.” Young participant
Dan’s personal style of storytelling is truly moving and inspiring. Philippine Eagle Foundation
Dan was an absolute delight to work with. He gave an inspiring talk to our college and university students who were fascinated and intrigued in equal measure. Dan discussed both his route into documentary filmmaking and his experiences on various shoots across the world including some hair raising encounters with a variety of wild animals! I would recommend Dan as a guest speaker and we’d love to add to him future events that we run at Confetti. - Jamie Cash Head of Media and Games at Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies (Part of Nottingham Trent University)