ABOUT
Jonathan Scott is an award-winning photographer, author, TV presenter & conservationist, famous for his work with big cats. He is married to wildlife photographer Angela Scott. He was the Overall Winner of the Wildlife Photographer of Year in 1987, and was the recipient of the Royal Geographical Societies Cherry Kearton Award and Medal in 1994. The Scott’s have published more than 40 books including the award winning Sacred Nature: Life’s Eternal Dance (HPH, 2016) & Sacred Nature 2: Reconnecting People to Our Planet (HPH, 2021). Their latest work is a series of 5 EBooks on Wildlife Photography and Safari. Jonathan has presented & co-presented numerous TV programs & series such as Big Cat Diary (1996-2008, BBC/Animal Planet) and Big Cat Tales Seasons 1 & 2 with Angela (2018-2020, Animal Planet). He features prominently in the BBC/PBS 90 minute documentary Lion: The Rise & Fall of The Marsh Pride (2002, BBC/PBS). The Scott’s founded the non-profit Sacred Nature Initiative in 2021.
Angela (2002) and Jonathan (1987) are the only couple to have won the Overall Award in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition as Individuals. They have travlled to all 7 Continent in their search for iconic images over the past 30 years. Their strenghts as a team are that Angela brings great artistry to their work and organisational skills, while Jonathan’s story telling abilities and knowledge of animal behaviour make for the perfect partnership. They are talented artists and their pen and ink drawings can be seen in their recently publised Sacred Nature Safari Colouring Book (Bradt, 2022). Angela believes that it is no longer suffiecient to simply take pictures without a purpose. They have to be able to evoke strong emotions on behalf of the Planet.
Jonathan and Angela believe that photographs and videos can help to make people more awareof both the wonder of the natural world and the multiple threats it now faces. With more than 50% of the world living in urban areas many people have become disconnected from Nature. The Scott’s aim is to try to reconnect people to the life-giving importance of the natural environment, and the catastrophic loss of biodiversity due to human greed and lack of forward planning. If ever there was a time to make the environment the most important issues facing mankind today this is it
In 2021 Angela and Jonathan founded the non-profit Sacred Nature Initiative (SNI) based on three pillars: to Inspire through their work, help Educate people of all ages to the life giving importance of Nature, and by so doing encourage people to conserve the natural environment rather than simply exploitiing it. Their award winning books Sacred Nature: Life’s Eternal Dance (HPH, 20216) and Sacred Nature 2: Reconnecting People to Our Planet (HPH, 2021) are the flagships for the SNI. The first volume focuses on the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, in particular Africa’s three big cats – lions, leopards and cheetahas – and the great migration of wildebeest and zebras. The second volume takes a global view focusing on landscapes: savannas, forests, deserts, mountains, water and polar regions. The books were Angela’s vision and are beautifully designed by their son David who is Creative Director for the Big Cat People, with wife Tori as PR and Social Media Director.
Selected Publications by Jonathan and Angela Scott
Sacred Nature Safari Colouring Book (Bradt) (2022)
Sacred Nature: Reconnecting People to Our Planet (HPH) (2021)
Looking for a Tiger (Cambridge University Press (CUP), 2017); Honey and Toto: The Story of a Cheetah Family (2017, CUP); Scarface: The Real Lion King (2016, CUP);The Great Migration (2016, CUP)
Sacred Nature: Life’s Eternal Dance (HPH) (2016)
The Big Cat Man: An Autobiography (Bradt) (2016)
Jonathan and Angela Scott’s Safari Guide to East African Animals – and Birds (Kensta)
(2012)
The Leopard’s Tale (Jonathan and Angela Scott): Bradt Travel Guides: Animal Classic Series) (2013)
The Marsh Lions (Brian Jackman & Jonathan and Angela Scott): (Bradt Travel Guides: Animal Classic Series) (2012)
Television:
BBC/PBS: Lion: The Rise and Fall of the Marsh Pride (2022)
Animal Planet: Big Cat Tales (Season 1 & 2, 2018-20)
National Geographic/Canon Australia: Tales by Light (Series 2, 2016)
Australia 60 Minutes: Great Migration (2013)
BBC: The Truth About Lions
(2011)
BBC/Animal Planet: The Secret Leopards (2009)
BBC: Big Cat Live (2008)
Oman TV: The Arabian Leopard (2007)
BBC/Animal Planet: Big Bear Diary (2005)
BBC/Animal Planet: Elephant Diaries – Series 1 and 2 (2006/7)
BBC: Big Cat Week – Series 1 to 4
(2003-2006)
Paramount Television: Wild Things
(1997-1999)
BBC/Discovery/Animal Planet: Big Cat Diary – Series 1 to 4 (1996-2002)
BBC: Dawn to Dusk (1996)
BBC/Turner: Flamingo Watch (1995)
BBC/Discovery: Africa Watch Central TV: Nature Watch (1981)
Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom (1982-1984)
Central Television: Nature Watch (1982)
BBC: Wildlife on One: Ambush at Masai Mara (1982)
Exhibitions: Jonathan and Angela Scott
Journey Through Time (2023-24): National Museums of Kenya (Sponsored by Sacred Nature Initiatve and others)
Kingdom of Lions (2000): Norfolk Hotel, Nairobi (Sponsored by Mpata, Ltd, Japan)
