Dan O’Neill

Film Work

Dan is currently in production for a new BBC One series and a high-profile feature length documentary about biodiversity for a top global streamer.

His upcoming series Snow Leopards with Dan O’Neill premieres this year on Love Nature and Sky TV. The series follows Dan as he leads an extreme conservation mission through the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia. Dan reveals the hunting behaviour, social dynamics and territorial range of the elusive snow leopard.

In 2024, Dan fronted the National Geographic series, Zombie Animals. While in 2023, he hosted Giants, a globe-trotting series for Curiosity Stream. Giants circles the globe on five epic expeditions in search of the greatest beasts to have roamed the planet.

Giants marked the first time in history that an openly LGBT wildlife presenter hosted a series for a major network.

Dan’s work for BBC Earth includes the following: Snow Leopards: Ghosts in the Snow, a four-part docuseries following Dan and the Snow Leopard Trust into the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, Dan O’Neill Investigates, which sees Dan explore the illegal wildlife trade and animal cruelty, and After We’ve Gone, a demonstration of how nature would thrive without humans. Dan recently filmed Hawk Boy for BBC One’s, The One Show.

In 2020, Dan travelled to rebel-occupied western Mindanao, to learn the conservation story of the most endangered raptor on the planet, the Philippine eagle. Dan’s independent film, Queen of Birds, which documented his journey, has been viewed over 2.3 million times.

Other work has included shooting and directing longform wildlife and expedition documentaries for broadcast, producing various digital miniseries, co-producing nature-inspired music with Grammy-winning artist Imogen Heap, and co-directing digital fashion campaigns.

Expeditions

From the jungle of the northern Amazon to the frozen peaks of Central Asia, to the surrounding areas of Mayan temple ruins of the Yucatan, Dan has led numerous expeditions to find and study rare species. Regularly involved in field studies, Dan primarily works as a mammal specialist, expedition leader and camera-trap technician.

Dan has partnered with the Snow Leopard Trust on his upcoming PhD studies to explore snow leopard behavioural and spatial ecology using video camera traps. In 2023, Dan was appointed the Snow Leopard Trust’s first-ever Explorer in Residence, presenting him the opportunity to work with local communities and field teams to support conservation in the high mountains of Central Asia. The Snow Leopard Trust is the world’s largest organisation devoted to protecting this enigmatic cat and its mountain habitats.

Most recently, Dan joined the Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society to camera trap and track tigers in India’s largest tiger reserve. 2024 saw Dan lead a snow leopard field trip in Kyrgyzstan, as well as attend a biodiversity research trip in Mexico. In December 2023, Dan led an expedition to Guyana, and in June 2023, he led a six-week scientific study to Honduras, capturing and ringing tropical forest birds and camera-trapping large mammals. In 2021, supported by the indigenous people, Dan led an expedition in search of jaguars, which was documented in the film, Last Eden: Guyana (Curiosity Stream).

Speaker

A popular speaker, host and compere, Dan’s extensive knowledge, storytelling expertise and exuberant personality allow him to connect with audiences of varying backgrounds, ages, and interests. Key topics include sustainability, conservation, LGBTQIA+, extreme environments, and motivation.

Speaker Testimonials

“Dan’s personal style of storytelling is truly moving and inspiring.” – Jayson Ibanez, Philippine Eagle Foundation

“Dan was an absolute delight to work with. He gave an inspiring talk to our college and university students who were fascinated and intrigued in equal measure.” – Jamie Cash, Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies

Education and Interests

Currently completing his PhD at the University of Bristol, Dan is a vocal and committed advocate for diversity in STEM, science media, and adventure spaces, using his platform to push boundaries and tell inclusive, compelling stories.

Dan continues to be a passionate advocate for increased LGBT representation in STEM, natural history media, and adventure. His work has been featured in Attitude Magazine, Gay Times, The Advocate, The Independent, and BBC Radio 4, to name a few.