Forrest Galante

Galante is wildlife biologist and owner of Phantasticus Pictures (a wildlife media company) and host of several successful wildlife tv shows. His focus is on animals facing extinction, whether it be mislabeling or because of human wildlife conflicts. After growing up in the bush of Zimbabwe as the son of a safari business owner, Galante and family fled to the United States where he finished his formal education. As a young and hungry biologist with a degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Galante pursued a career in high-risk wildlife biology fieldwork. Galante’s hands-on approach to wildlife, passion for nature and extraordinary background in tracking animals eventually led to the development of his own television show, Extinct or Alive, on Animal Planet. The show followed Galante as he traveled the globe searching for animals he believed have wrongfully been deemed extinct. Since 2018, Galante has captured evidence of the existence of eight animals once believed to be extinct. Galante continues to conduct field expeditions and surveys, working not just with believed-extinct animals but also with a wide range of other wildlife. His mission is to inspire and educate people about animals and adventure through the media, including hosting a wide range of programs on Discovery, on-camera expert interviews, and production of his own wildlife and natural history shows via his production company. He also communicates his mission through his public speaking, at congress, at the United Nations and via his active social media presence. Galante is the most notable name on the topic of animals wrongfully being labeled extinct and brings a unique and experienced field perspective to the topic of de-extinction.