Daniel Kane

Dan lives in London, where he works as a herpetologist for an international zoological organisation. In his role Dan specialises in the care and management of reptiles and amphibians including Philippine Crocodiles, Galápagos Tortoises, and Gila Monsters. Since discovering his first lizards as a child on family holidays to the Mediterranean, his interest for the natural world has continued to grow. After spending seven years informally studying a European Adder (Vipera berus) population near his family home in the Lake District, Dan completed his undergraduate dissertation on this very population, earning him a first class honours degree.

In his free time, Dan enjoys travelling the world in search of reptiles and amphibians. In recent years highlights have been walking with Komodo Dragons (Varanus komodoensis) and spotlighting for blue phase White-lipped Island Pitviper (Trimeresurus insularis), assisting with a long-term montane amphibian conservation project in northern Vietnam, finding a King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) in Thailand and searching the forests of Uganda for Gaboon Vipers (Bitis gabonica).

With a scientific mind and keen observational skills, Dan enjoys contributing to a deeper understanding of herpetology by publishing original research in academic journals. Some recent examples include the description of play behaviour in tree monitors and reporting range extensions for several species of Moroccan reptiles and Vietnamese amphibians.

Numerous presentations, conferences and hosting visiting conservationists from other countries allow Dan to share his passion for herpetology with like-minded individuals. As a Naturetrek tour leader he hopes to bring this enthusiasm and understanding to a new audience on our herping tours.