Nick Mooney (born 23 December 1953) is an Australian conservationist,

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

, writer,

wildlife Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animal species (biology), species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous ...

expert, and ecological

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

best known for his work with the

Tasmanian devil The Tasmanian devil (''Sarcophilus harrisii'') (palawa kani: purinina) is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. Until recently, it was only found on the island state of Tasmania, but it has been reintroduced to New South Wales in ...

. In addition to efforts to learn about the diseases facing and threatening the Devil population, Mooney educates area

farmers A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mi ...

about the benefits they provide. In addition to his work with the Tasmanian Devil he is also involved with government efforts related to the search for the elusive, and some believe extinct, Tasmanian tiger, and efforts to prevent foxes from destroying Tasmania's ecosystem. In 2006 Mooney received a Local Hero award as Australian of the Year

References

1950 births Australian conservationists Living people Australian ornithologists {{australia-scientist-stub