Forrest Galante

Last updated

Forrest Galante
Forrest Galante.jpg
Galante with a pangolin in 2018
Born
California, United States
Alma mater University of California at Santa Barbara
OccupationTelevision host
Known for Extinct or Alive on Animal Planet
Website forrestgalante.com

Forrest Galante is an American outdoor adventurer and television personality. He primarily seeks out animals on the brink of extinction. He is the host of the television shows Extinct or Alive on Animal Planet and "Mysterious Creatures with Forrest Galante," as well as multiple Shark Week shows.

Contents

Early life

Shortly after his birth in California, Galante and his family moved to Harare, Zimbabwe, where his mother ran a safari business. [1] He and his sister were raised on a farm. [2] Throughout his youth, Galante spent time exploring the African bush, learning to wrangle snakes, trap small animals, and snorkel the reefs of the Bazaruto Archipelago. [3] In Zimbabwe, he attended an English boarding school and headed up the Junior Herpetology Society, studying native flora and fauna. [1]

In 2001, following the political uprising in Zimbabwe, which led to the invasion and burning of the family farm, Galante was forced to return to California. [1] He resumed his education in Santa Barbara, where he graduated from high school and later earned a degree in biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara. [3]

Career

In 2013, Galante made his first foray into television with an appearance on the Discovery Channel's Naked and Afraid , where he participated in the show's 21-day survival challenge.[ citation needed ] He completed the challenge—being dropped with a stranger in the remote section of northwestern Panama—and scored a PSR (primitive survival rating) of 8.8, one of the highest in the show's history. [4]

In 2016, Galante and his photographer wore special suits that mimic the crocodile's scaly skin and block the body's electric current, allowing them to swim alongside and capture the reptile's natural behavior. The duo came within inches of the crocodiles, filming them in their authentic habitat for their film Dancing with Dragons. [5]

On June 10, 2018, Galante's docu-series, Extinct or Alive premiered on Animal Planet. [6] Galante has stated that he is committed to uncovering the Thylacine and, after two expeditions, will continue searching. [7]

Galante produced the History channel show Face the Beast where two men attempt to retrace the steps of predators going on unexplained, killing rampages against humans. [8] He has appeared in the GQ: The Breakdown video series. [9]

In 2019, he testified in front of the United States Congress to promote legislature change and increase funding for conservation. [10]

His first book, Still Alive: A Wild Life of Rediscovery, was published in June 2021 by Hachette Books, and is described by the publisher as "part memoir, part biological adventure". [11] In this book, Galante discusses his passion for bringing attention and research funding for preservation of the ecosystem. [12]

Galante serves as an advisory board member for Colossal Biosciences, a company which is seeking to genetically engineer extinct species such as the woolly mammoth [13] and dodo [14] back into existence to repair human-caused holes in world ecosystems. [15]

Expeditions

In his search for unique wildlife, Galante has visited over 60 countries. [16]

During filming for the show in 2018, a camera trap caught apparent footage of a Zanzibar leopard on Unguja Island. The animal appeared smaller than specimens from the mainland, and seemed to have smaller, more solid spots than normally seen on African leopards. Further investigations are planned in order to confirm whether or not this is a Zanzibar leopard, and whether a viable population still exists. [17]

Miller's grizzled langur Presbytis hosei canicrus.jpg
Miller's grizzled langur

While shooting footage for Season 2 on the remote Galápagos Islands chain in February 2019, biologist Washington Tapia-Aguilera, four Ecuadorian park rangers, and Galante's team discovered a single female Fernandina Island Galápagos tortoise which had been presumed extinct since 1906. [18] [19] Trace evidence found on the expedition indicated that more individuals likely exist in the wild, and new searches were being planned to find a male Fernandina Tortoise that could potentially save the species. [20] [21] Galante and his team claimed the discovery, but this has been disputed by Tapia-Aguilera. [22]

Criticism

Galante has been accused of claiming credit for discoveries previously made by scientists and has been derided as a "parachute scientist", a practice described as "colonial" and exploitative of scientists in developing countries. [23]

Galante's claim to have rediscovered of the Fernandina Island tortoise in 2019 was disputed by Washington Tapia-Aguilera, a biologist at the Galapagos Conservancy and director of the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative. [18] [22]

His claim of rediscovering the Rio Apaporis Caiman was also contradicted by a Journal of Herpetology article written by Sergio A. Balaguera-Reina, a biologist at the Universidad de Ibagué and Texas Tech University. [22] [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galápagos Islands</span> Ecuadorian archipelago and protected area

The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Eastern Pacific, located around the Equator 900 km (560 mi) west of the mainland of South America. They form the Galápagos Province of the Republic of Ecuador, with a population of slightly over 33,000 (2020). The province is divided into the cantons of San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz, and Isabela, the three most populated islands in the chain. The Galápagos are famous for their large number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin in the 1830s and inspired his theory of evolution by means of natural selection. All of these islands are protected as part of Ecuador's Galápagos National Park and Marine Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant tortoise</span> Several species of land tortoise

Giant tortoises are any of several species of various large land tortoises, which include a number of extinct species, as well as two extant species with multiple subspecies formerly common on the islands of the western Indian Ocean and on the Galápagos Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinta Island tortoise</span> Subspecies of Galápagos tortoise

The Pinta Island tortoise, also known as the Pinta giant tortoise, Abingdon Island tortoise, or Abingdon Island giant tortoise, is a recently extinct subspecies of Galápagos tortoise native to Ecuador's Pinta Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madras Crocodile Bank Trust</span> Herpetology research station in Chennai, India

The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology (MCBT) is a reptile zoo and herpetology research station, located 40 km (25 mi) south of the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The centre is both a registered trust and a recognized zoo under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and comes under the purview of the Central Zoo Authority, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. The establishment is located on a 8.5 acres (3.4 ha) site covered by coastal sand forests, along the coast of Bay of Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American crocodile</span> Species of crocodile endemic to the Neotropics

The American crocodile is a species of crocodilian found in the Neotropics. It is the most widespread of the four extant species of crocodiles from the Americas, with populations present from South Florida, the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and the coasts of Mexico to as far south as Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela.

Pinzón or Pinzon Island is an island in Ecuador's Galápagos Archipelago. It has no permanent population, an area of 18 square kilometers (6.9 sq mi), and a maximum elevation of 458 meters (1,503 ft). Home to giant Galápagos tortoises of the subspecies Chelonoidis duncanensis and Galápagos sea lions, the island has no visitor facilities and a permit is required for legal visits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fernandina Island</span> Island in the Galapagos

Fernandina Island is the youngest and third largest island in the Galapagos, as well as the furthest west. It has an area of 642 km2 (248 sq mi) and a height of 1,476 m (4,843 ft), with a summit caldera about 6.5 km (4.0 mi) wide. It is younger than Isabela, being only less than one million years old since its formation. Like the other islands, it was formed by the Galápagos hotspot. The island is an active shield volcano that has most recently erupted in March 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galápagos tortoise</span> Species of reptile

The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise is a very large species of tortoise in the genus Chelonoidis. The species comprises 15 subspecies. It is the largest living species of tortoise, and can weigh up to 417 kg (919 lb). They are also the largest extant terrestrial cold-blooded animals (ectotherms).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zanzibar leopard</span> Leopard population in Zanzibar

The Zanzibar leopard is an African leopard population on Unguja Island in the Zanzibar archipelago, Tanzania, that is considered extirpated due to persecution by local hunters and loss of habitat. It was the island's largest terrestrial carnivore and apex predator. Increasing conflict between people and leopards in the 20th century led to the demonization of the Zanzibar leopard and determined attempts to exterminate it. Efforts to develop a leopard conservation program in the mid-1990s were shelved when wildlife researchers concluded that there was little prospect for the population's long-term survival. In 2018, a leopard was recorded by a camera trap, thus renewing hopes for the population's survival, although some experts remain skeptical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spectacled caiman</span> Species of crocodilian native to the Neotropics

The spectacled caiman, also known as the white caiman, common caiman, and speckled caiman, is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae. It is brownish-, greenish-, or yellowish-gray colored and has a spectacle-like ridge between its eyes, which is where its common name come from. It grows to a length of 1.4–2.5 m and a weight of 7–40 kg (15–88 lb), with males being both longer and heavier than females. Its diet varies seasonally, commonly consisting of crabs, fish, small mammals, amphibians and snails. Breeding occurs from May to August and 14–40 eggs are laid in July and August. This crocodilian has a large range and population; it is native to much of Latin America, and has been introduced to the United States, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caiman</span> Subfamily of reptiles

A caiman is an alligatorid belonging to the subfamily Caimaninae, one of two primary lineages within the Alligatoridae family, the other being alligators. Caimans are native to Central and South America and inhabit marshes, swamps, lakes, and mangrove rivers. They have scaly skin and live a fairly nocturnal existence. They are relatively small-sized crocodilians with an average maximum weight of 6 to 40 kg depending on species, with the exception of the black caiman, which can grow more than 4 m (13 ft) in length and weigh in excess of 450 kg. The black caiman is the largest caiman species in the world and is found in the slow-moving rivers and lakes that surround the Amazon basin. The smallest species is the Cuvier's dwarf caiman, which grows to 1.2 to 1.5 m long. There are six different species of caiman found throughout the watery jungle habitats of Central and Southern America. The average length for most of the other caiman species is about 2 to 2.5 m long.

<i>Chelonoidis</i> Genus of tortoises

Chelonoidis is a genus of turtles in the tortoise family erected by Leopold Fitzinger in 1835. They are found in South America and the Galápagos Islands, and formerly had a wide distribution in the West Indies.

Extinct or Alive is an American wildlife documentary television programme produced for Animal Planet by Hot Snakes Media of New York City, the United States. It is hosted by wildlife biologist and television personality Forrest Galante, who travels to different locations around the globe to learn about possibly extinct animals and whether or not there is a chance that they may still be extant. The series has been involved in the possible rediscovery of eleven animals, namely the Zanzibar leopard, the Pondicherry shark, the Fernandina Island Galápagos tortoise, the Miller's grizzled langur, the Cape lion, the Malagasy hippopotamus, the Yangtze giant softshell turtle, Rio Apaporis caiman, Whitetip weasel shark, Ornate sleeper-ray and the Flapnose houndshark.

Chelonoidis niger phantasticus is a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise that was discovered in 1906 and thought extinct, until a single female was discovered living on Fernandina Island by an expedition in February 2019. In May 2021, a genetic test carried out by scientists from the California Academy of Sciences confirmed that the single female tortoise discovered in 2019 is from the subspecies Chelonoidis niger phantasticus. The subspecies name has often been misspelled as phantastica, an error introduced in the 1980s when Chelonoidis was elevated to genus and mistakenly treated as feminine, an error recognized and fixed in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santiago Island giant tortoise</span> Species of turtle

The Santiago Island giant tortoise, also known commonly as the Santiago giant tortoise and the James Island tortoise, is a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The subspecies is endemic to Santiago Island in the Galápagos.

<i>Chelonoidis niger chathamensis</i> Subspecies of turtle

Chelonoidis niger chathamensis, commonly known as the Chatham Island giant tortoise or the San Cristóbal giant tortoise, is a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise endemic to San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floreana giant tortoise</span> Species of giant tortoise

The Floreana giant tortoise, also known as the Charles Island giant tortoise, is an extinct subspecies of the Galápagos tortoise endemic to the Galápagos archipelago in the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean. The specific epithet niger (‘black’) probably refers to the colouration of the holotype specimen. The species name has often been misspelled as nigra, an error introduced in the 1980s when Chelonoidis was elevated to genus and mistakenly treated as feminine, an error recognized and fixed in 2017.

Colossal Biosciences Inc. is an American biotechnology and genetic engineering company working to de-extinct the woolly mammoth, the Tasmanian tiger, and the dodo. In 2023, it stated that it wants to have woolly mammoth hybrid calves by 2028, and wants to reintroduce them to the Arctic tundra habitat. Likewise, it launched the Tasmanian Thylacine Advisory Committee, a thylacine research project to release Tasmanian tiger joeys back to their original Tasmanian and broader Australian habitat after a period of observation in captivity.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Cabakoff, Rachel (December 24, 2013). "Profile: Forrest Galante". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  2. ↑ Garden, Psychic (June 8, 2021). "[Nature/Sustainability] An interview with: Forrest Galante". Psychic Garden. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Forrest Galante". Spearing Magazine. August 29, 2016. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  4. ↑ John (June 7, 2017). "Here are the top ten Naked and Afraid PSRs of all time (along with a few dubious lows)". starcasm.net. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  5. ↑ "HECS wetsuits: Kiwi scaly suit wins over crocodiles". October 25, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Animal Planet Greenlights New Series 'Extinct or Alive' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. May 21, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  7. ↑ Bender, Kelli. "'Extinct or Alive' Adventurer Forrest Galante Hasn't 'Given Up Hope' Tasmanian Tiger Is Alive". PEOPLE.com.
  8. ↑ Maglio, Tony (February 20, 2019). "Animal Planet's 'Extinct or Alive' Finds Its First 'Extinct' Species Alive". TheWrap.
  9. ↑ "The Breakdown". GQ Videos.
  10. ↑ "Animal Planet's Forrest Galante Tells Senators Innovative Predator Deterrents Could Become the Standard". U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  11. ↑ Galante, Forrest (October 9, 2020). Still Alive. ISBN   9780306924262.
  12. ↑ Bova, Dan (June 7, 2021). "Forrest Galante Is Still Alive (And Wrote a Book About It)". Entrepreneur. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Mammoth". Colossal. August 6, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Dodo Bird | Reviving the Dodo". Colossal. January 31, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Our Advisors". Colossal. March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Q & A with Forrest Galante". Borealism. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  17. ↑ Li, J. "Zanzibar Leopard Captured on Camera, Despite Being Declared Extinct". Inside Edition. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  18. 1 2 Langlois, Jill (February 22, 2019). "Fernandina giant tortoise—once thought extinct—found in Galápagos". National Geographic . Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Not seen for 100 years, a rare Galápagos tortoise was considered all but extinct – until now". USA TODAY. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  20. ↑ Miller, Ryan W. "Not seen for 100 years, a rare Galápagos tortoise was considered all but extinct – until now". USA TODAY.
  21. ↑ "Tortoise Feared Extinct Found on Remote Galapagos Island". The New York Times. Associated Press. February 20, 2019. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  22. 1 2 3
  23. ↑ Valiente, Tito Genova (June 18, 2021). "Wanted: 'Extinct or Alive'". BusinessMirror . Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  24. ↑ Balaguera-Reina, Sergio A. (2019). "Rediscovering the Apaporis Caiman (Caiman crocodilus apaporiensis): Notes from a Long-Anticipated Expedition". Journal of Herpetology . 53 (4): 310–315. doi:10.1670/19-028.
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