I am a naturalist currently living in Niagara Falls, Ontario,
Canada. My initial exploits in the natural world involved reptiles and
amphibians and it was a slippery slope from there, as birds followed, then
butterflies, then dragonflies, then moths, etc. Birds dominated my life for a
few years but I am getting back into many other taxa, especially Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and herps (reptiles and amphibians). Botany has become an interest of mine in recent years, and I am working on improving
my identifications.
I grew up in Ontario and my home province's ecology holds a special place in my heart. However in recent years my interests have grown outside the confines of Ontario's borders. The Neotropics have a particular allure to me and I am always looking forward to my next trip.
I currently split my time working as an environmental consultant
in Ontario and leading nature tours for Worldwide Quest (view my upcoming tours here). I love visiting remote places. Some of my
favorite activities include watching bird migration in the autumn on the shores
of James Bay, night-hiking in the Neotropics (I have a particular fascination
with Bolitoglossa salamanders and any and all snakes), spending time with a
population of Eastern Massassaugas at a location I've visited for the last
decade, and searching for endemic bird species in far flung locations.
I can be reached at joshvandermeulen (at) live.ca.
