Dr Michael Leach has been a full-time wildlife author and photographer since 1977. He has written 24 books on subjects ranging from big cats and owls to great apes and bears. These books have been translated into 11 languages.
Research expeditions have taken Michael to all 7 continents, allowing him to visit some of the wildest and most remote places on Earth. To work with some of the world’s most charismatic animals - polar bears in the arctic, gorillas in central Africa, lemurs in Madagascar, sperm whales in the mid-Atlantic, monkeys in the Amazon, penguins in the Antarctic and elephants in Kenya.
He has filmed more than 60 TV documentaries for both the BBC and Independent Television.
His illustrated articles have been used in a long list of magazines including Country Life, the Observer, Geographical, BBC Wildlife etc.
Website: www.michael-leach.co.uk
Bibliography:
RABBITS. A & C Black 1983
THE RABBIT Shire Publications 1989
MICE OF THE BRITISH ISLES Shire Publications 1989
BEARS Mallard Press / New York. Pub USA only 1990
BIG CATS Mallard Press / New York Pub USA only 1990
SECRET LIFE OF SNOWDONIA Chatto & Windus 1991
THE COMPLETE OWL Chatto & Windus 1992
THE GREAT APES – FACES IN NATURE’S MIRROR Blandford 1996
THE WILDLIFE OF SHROPSHIRE Shropshire Books 1997
HIPPOPOTAMUS WWF/Wayland 2000
GRIZZLY BEAR WWF/Wayland 2001
GIRAFFE WWF/Wayland 2001
HIDDEN SHALLOWS Quandary Press 2001
WOLF WWF / Wayland 2002
KOALA WWF/Wayland
THE ONES THAT WORKED Quandary Press 2002
FOX Hodder 2003
BADGER Hodder 2003
HEDGEHOG Hodder 2003
OTTER Hodder 2003
DEER Hodder 2003
BROWN HARE Hodder 2003
MOOSE WWF/Wayland 2003
A NATURALHISTORY OF CHRISTMAS. (with Meriel Lland) Quandary 2014
Synopses of most recent book:
A Natural History of Christmas explores how plants, animals and the environment feature strongly in Yuletide celebrations. Every winter we choose gifts, decorate the house, pick out a tree, stock the 
pantry, make cakes, puddings and pastries in preparation for Christmastide - but where do these customs come from? Here we uncover the origins of the holly and the ivy, the pre-Christian roots of hanging mistletoe and that turkeys never did come from Turkey!
This illustrated miscellany shows why the robin is our favourite Christmas bird and looks at the origin of the Yule log, plum pudding and Santa’s dapper wardrobe. Most unlikely of all, it reveals just why we might believe that reindeer can fly.
The Festive Season, as we recognise it in Britain today, journeys through the Dark Ages and Medieval times to coalesce in the mid-19th Century. It was the Victorians who did most to weave together myths, legends, foods and traditions from places as diverse as China, Scandinavia, Ethiopia, Moluccas and Mexico. They crafted a festival of icons and beliefs imported from five continents. Discovering the footprints of these wanderings is the adventure of this book.
Pitch to Publishers & Festival Organisers:
Michael is a highly experienced speaker, having given more than 3000 presentations in 11 countries. His events are light-hearted with a strong environmental theme. They also reveal many tricks-of-the trade and uncover the realities of working in wild places with wild animals. The talks come with a warning “Be prepared to have some illusions shattered”.
For Adults:
There are many available talks, please contact Michael directly for a full list.
For Children :
Michael is a regular visitor to schools around the UK, he is often brought in to show that non-fiction books can be exciting and challenging. There is nothing quite like real-life stories of tracking polar bears, great white sharks and lions to engage children.
Typical Workshop :
“How to be a Gorilla” Using his experience living with mountain gorillas of Rwanda, Michael has launched a children’s workshop on apes. Or, in other words, “how to walk like, think like and speak like a gorilla” - one of the most iconic animals on the planet.
The audience learns how to chest-beat, knuckle-walk and communicate with their family via belches
Aims of the workshop:
The workshop gives the children the opportunity to think outside of their own cultural experience and to engage imaginatively with the discovery of an exciting species that is new to them – in this case the endangered mountain gorillas of the African cloud forest. The children will learn how to get close to gorillas in the field and how to communicate as gorillas, using body language and vocalisations. Additionally, the sessions will invite the children to draw upon their own experiences of observation to explore the technique of to understanding animals and the writing of wildlife books
Literary Festival Appearances: Many
Contact email: [wildmanleach[@]gmail.com] - remove square brackets before emailing
If you are involved in this festival you can update or change details via the organisers page . Authors can list here.