Dan O’Neill Keynote Speaker

Dan O’Neill is a Field Biologist, Wildlife Filmmaker and TV Presenter whose magnetic personality and deep knowledge of the natural world have made him a familiar face on our screens. He has presented for the BBC, National Geographic, Sky TV and Love Nature, and is currently in production on both a new BBC series and a high-profile feature-length documentary for a top global streamer. Having soared to success over the last few years, Dan combines adventurous spirit, broad knowledge base and a distinctly comedic character to bring the wild into the room.

An active scientist as well as presenter, Dan spends much of his time working as a senior biologist on field research expeditions across some of the most remote regions of the world. His 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, he has cumulatively spent many years in frozen mountains and deep jungles, building a wealth of stories and anecdotes that captivate audiences.

Dan is proudly and notably the first openly LGBTQ wildlife presenter to host a series for a major network. In 2024, he fronted the National Geographic series Zombie Animals, and 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, further showcasing his mission to connect viewers with some of the wildest and most remote corners of the globe.

With no clear role model for the LGBTQ+ community in wildlife and adventure TV, Dan decided to fill that gap. 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, he has become a passionate advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Featured multiple times in Attitude Magazine—including a digital cover—and highlighted in Attitude’s 101 Trailblazers’ STEM category this year, he champions diversity and is vocal about the need to ‘see more marginalised groups in front of the camera’. He 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 on inclusivity in adventure, building your confidence and breaking into the industry as an LGBTQ person, with themes of resilience and drive interwoven through his expedition stories to engage, educate and motivate every audience.