The Mercenary Naturalist

Doug Reagan's entertaining memoir chronicles his exploits as an ecologist for-hire on projects ranging from oil exploration in the Amazon to protected area planning in the Philippines. With humility and humor, Doug recounts his experiences with engineers, conservationists, indigenous peoples, government bureaucrats, and even baboons. Real-life situations provide unique insights into the complexities of finding workable solutions to environmental problems.

Whether capturing a venomous snake with an improvised tool or navigating jungles at night, Doug's adventures bring these exotic places and people to life. The Mercenary Naturalist illuminates the ways in which we are interconnected and how what happens in faraway places has consequences for us all.