About
Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant is a wildlife ecologist and the co-host of NBC’s newest original series, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild.
With an expertise in uncovering how human activity influences carnivore behavior and ecology, she focuses on the ecological and social drivers of human-carnivore conflict.
Rae is passionate about science communication and is also the creator and host of award-winning podcast Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant (produced by PBS’ Nature). Her current field system encompasses the central coast of California where she is studying the unique ecology of carnivores in coastal zones, as well as the role of protected areas in connectivity of high-quality habitat for large carnivores. Her previous research questions surrounded the ecological drivers of human-carnivore conflict with grizzly bears in the Northern Great Plains, black bears in the Western Great Basin, African lions in rural Kenya and Tanzania, as well as grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
A native Californian, Dr. Wynn-Grant attributes her interest in wildlife and conservation to the television shows she watched as a child, including the iconic original series, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.
She was introduced to the field of conservation biology as an undergraduate and is unapologetic about her passion for studying charismatic megafauna. Dr. Wynn-Grant serves on the Board of Directors for NatureBridge, where she largely aids the organizations in their equity, inclusion, and diversity strategies.
Dr. Wynn-Grant received her B.S. in Environmental Studies from Emory University, her M.S. in Environmental Studies from Yale University, and her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution from Columbia University. She completed a Conservation Science Research and Teaching Postdoctoral fellowship with the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation at the American Museum of Natural History. She is currently a Research Faculty member at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management leading carnivore research on the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve. She maintains a Research Fellow position with National Geographic Society focusing on carnivore conservation in partnership with the American Prairie Reserve and a Visiting Scientist position at the American Museum of Natural History.
Coming Spring 2024, Dr. Wynn-Grant will take readers on a journey from the jungles of Madagascar to the grasslands of the Serengeti in her upcoming memoir, Wild Life. She cares for lions, lemurs, and bears as one of the few Black, female scientists at the top of her field—all while offering her singular perspective on race, gender, class, marriage, love, and motherhood.