Ben Garrod
Global Conservationist: Over 20 years of experience working on conservation projects in Africa, Asia, and the Arctic. Dynamic TV Presenter: Featured in numerous BBC documentaries alongside Sir David Attenborough and Professor Alice Roberts. Award-Winning Author: Published several book series, including Extinct and Ultimate Dinosaurs, captivating readers with the wonders of natural history.
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Ben Garrod's 2025 biography
Ben Garrod: Animal Behavior Expert Connecting Evolution to Mental Wellbeing and Leadership
What can our animal relatives teach us about stress, anxiety, and mental wellbeing?
What can a rampaging silverback teach us about the importance of ‘office away days’?
Can animals teach us about leadership, the importance of teamwork, and how to develop resilience?
How much of our mental health is evolutionary, and how much is affected by digital distractions – including social media?
What does science tell us about the relationship between mental and physical health? And what part does physical exercise play?
Professor Ben Garrod attempts to answer some of these questions, drawing fascinating comparisons from across the animal kingdom, having spent over two decades living with and researching the behaviour of great apes.
An accomplished and highly entertaining speaker, he describes how the stress and anxiety we so often experience “may not have originated here with us”.
Searingly honest about his own mental health journey, Ben describes the challenges he personally has faced – with charm, humour, and energy. Why does he suggest we should all sign up to a 200 mile ‘fun run’ at least once in our lives, and what did he learn from befriending Johnny, one of the world’s most dangerous inhabitants?
An expert in his field, Ben has worked on the frontline of conservation in Africa, Asia, South America, across the Caribbean, and the Arctic. He’s seen first-hand the impact of climate change and biodiversity loss on a range of species and ecosystems. As a result, his views on sustainability are also highly thought-provoking.
TV work
Notable TV credits include ‘Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur’ and ‘Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard’ – both alongsideSir David Attenborough for BBC One. Ben also presented ‘Baby Chimp Rescue’, ‘The Day the Dinosaurs Died’ alongside Professor Alice Roberts (BBC Two), and ‘Secrets of Bones’ and ‘Secrets of Skin’ (BBC Four).
Audio work
Ben’s BBC Radio 4 work includes three series of ‘Wild Inside’ alongside Dr Jess French, ‘Super Senses’ and ‘Bone Stories’. He is a regular guest on ‘Infinite Monkey Cage’ and has hosted the flagship series ‘Inside Science’.
Books
Ben has published two eight-part series: ‘Ultimate Dinosaurs’ and ‘Extinct’, as well as the semi-autobiographical ‘The Chimpanzee and Me’.
His first fiction four-part series, about the adventures of his own globe-trotting rescue dog, ‘The Adventures of a Dog called Jack-Jack’ comes out in 2024.
Background
Ben is actively involved in a wide range of charities and organisations. He is a Vice-President for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, patron for the Norwich Science Festival, patron for the Youth STEMM Awards, patron for the Natural Sciences Collections Association (NatSCA), ambassador for the Bristol Museum and Arts Gallery, ambassador for the Marine Conservation Society, and is a Fellow of the Linnean Society.