DAN STILES

Dan studied anthropology and archaeology at the University of California, Berkeley, and at the University of Aix-Marseille in France, obtaining his Ph.D. in 1981, and has lectured at UC Berkeley, University of Nairobi, University of Paris X and Oxford University, focusing on past and present human ecology and evolution.

Leaving Academia in 1983, Dan worked in land and natural resource management at UNEP, UNDP, UNICEF and the UN Research Institute for Social Development up to 1997, shifting into contemporary wildlife trade research in 1999, beginning with ivory and branching out to rhino horn, pangolin scales, big cat products and live great apes. These investigations led him to the Internet and social media platforms, where Dan has uncovered hundreds of accounts dealing in all manner of illegal wildlife.

In wildlife trade, Dan has been funded by Save the Elephants, Care for the Wild, Aspinall Foundation, TRAFFIC, IUCN, CITES-MIKE, UNEP/GRID, Arcus Foundation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Vulcan Inc., Wildlife Conservation Society, the Open Society and UN Office of Drugs and Crime. Dan has over 170 publications.

Read his published paper:
Concern Over Social Media Trafficking of Great Apes

Watch his documentary:
Stolen Apes