JT Tavares

João (J.T.) was born in Lisbon. He is a biologist, having studied mostly birds. He monitored, satellite-tracked, and surveyed several iconic birds in all sorts of conditions: under the canopies of cork oaks on the hills of southern Portugal, sailing over remote seamounts of the east Atlantic, driving along the roads of the Anatolian plateau, and among wind turbines in the Egyptian desert. He worked at sea as a fisheries observer and survey specialist for seabirds, turtles, and cetaceans in the North Atlantic, sharing ships with fishermen and marine scientists. He became a scuba diver in order to search deeper for a new life. J.T. loves sharing his experience and fascination for wildlife with others. He has been a birding guide for more than a decade in Portugal, Spain, and Morocco.

After traveling for wildlife in Europe, several parts of Africa, and across South America, he has recorded over 4500 species so far, from birds to plants. He is an illustrator and designer as well, creating educational materials on conservation and science topics. He has authored and illustrated books for several audiences, from toddlers to scientists, some of which were awarded in his home country.