Michael Tobias

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Michael Charles Tobias (born June 27, 1951) is an author, ecologist, anthropologist, historian, explorer, and filmmaker. His more than 35 books and 100 films have been distributed, translated and/or broadcast in most countries of the world. Tobias has been described in the pages of the Los Angeles Times as one who "perceives the duty to maintain biodiversity as a moral requirement of planet stewardship".^[1]

Tobias received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1977, specializing in the history of consciousness, particularly with respect to ecological anthropology: the impact on diverse human cultures throughout time of the idea of nature. Tobias specializes on human population and biodiversity issues, and is a practitioner of avant garde documentary. In addition, Tobias is an animal rights advocate who has focused on the anthropology of conscience, examining numerous cultures whose primary values have demonstrated a thorough commitment in all walks of life to non-violence and vegetarianism.

In addition to four decades of field research in some 70 countries, Tobias has lectured widely. Over the years he was Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Adjunct Assistant Professor of English and the Humanities at Dartmouth College; Associate Professor of Humanities at California State University; Garrey Carruthers Chair of Honors at the University of New Mexico; Distinguished Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies, and Regents Lecturer at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Among Tobias' works of fiction, non-fiction, and film are such titles as, the ten-hour television series and novel Voice of the Planet^[2], the book and film World War III - Population and the Biosphere at the End of the Millennium^[1], A Vision of Nature - Traces of the Original World, Ahimsa-Non-Violence, Antarctica-The Last Continent, Mad Cowboy, No Vacancy, River of Love, Jan & Catherina, Rage & Reason, After Eden History, Ecology & Conscience, A Day in the Life of India, Dubai - 24 Hours, A Day in the Life of Ireland, Kazantzakis, Black Tide, A Parliament of Souls - In Search of Global Spirituality, A Parliament of Science - Science for the 21st Century, and the more than 1,800-page illustrated epic, The Adventures of Mr. Marigold.

Since the late 1990s, Tobias has been President and CEO of The Dancing Star Foundation, an international NGO devoted to animal protection, global biodiversity conservation, and environmental education.

Tobias is married to Jane Gray Morrison, a global ecologist, musician, author, filmmaker, and philanthropist.