What a treat to introduce the Dutch nature photographer and our far-flung team member, Mark Stoop. Mark lives in Singapore, where he works as a marketing director and indulges his passion for photographing the biodiverse animals who live around him. Birds and reptiles hold a special place in Mark's heart. Indeed, it was his beautiful photo of a curious Green Crested Lizard that drew us to him. The image has been viewed more than a million times, and that personable little lizard with the big attitude has grown into the icon of our Sentient Planet podcast! In this lighthearted chat with Mark, you'll get a good idea of what it's like to live amongst tropical non-human animals, including monkeys, cobras and wild boar. And if you're a photography buff, you might glean something helpful from Mark's astute tips. Calls to Action: You can support Mark and other photographers from around the world on https://unsplash.com/@markstoop (Unsplash, )a platform that promotes their beautiful imagery for free. One of Mark's favorite animal advocacy organizations is the trailblazing https://www.janegoodall.org/ (Jane Goodall Institute).

Intro music: "The Spaces Between" by Scott Buckley. Interstitial music: "Nightscape" by Stellardrone.