Audubon Everglades Presents

Ron Magill – Zoo Communications and Media Relations Director, Zoo Miami/Nikon Ambassador USA

Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at 7PM

Ron has worked with wildlife for over 40 years. He is the host of HITN’s national wildlife documentary program, “Mundo Salvaje con Ron Magill.” As Zoo Miami’s “Goodwill Ambassador,” he has made frequent television appearances on many programs, including “National Geographic Explorer,” the Discovery Networks, the “Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” “The Late Show, “CBS This Morning,” “Dateline,” and “CNN,” as well as on Spanish networks Univision and Telemundo. In addition, he has written and produced many wildlife
articles and award-winning photographs that have appeared in publications and galleries around the world. He has traveled extensively throughout Africa, Asia and Tropical America while developing and directing conservation projects and Emmy- Award winning documentaries focusing on the wildlife of those regions.

Beyond Zoo Miami and the Zoo Miami Foundation, Ron has worked with several children’s charities, with a special dedication to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, where he helps grant wishes for children facing life-threatening diseases. In addition, he is a regular speaker at schools and civic organizations throughout South Florida, hoping to inspire our youth to follow their dreams and showing them the importance of protecting our world’s wildlife for generations to come.

Ron’s proudest professional accomplishment is the establishment of the “Ron Magill Conservation Endowment” at the Zoo Miami Foundation. This endowment has raised millions of dollars, is the largest of its kind at the zoo, and provides tens of thousands of dollars annually to wildlife conservation by providing annual scholarships and supporting field conservation projects designed to protect wildlife in its native areas.

Harpy Eagle Project – Panama
In 1993, I initiated a collaborative effort with the government of Panama to raise awareness about the harpy eagle and the important role it plays in the tropical forests of that country. What started as a grass roots effort led to a national campaign that eventually resulted in the Panamanian government officially declaring the harpy eagle the National Bird of the Republic. A public/private partnership developed with key corporate entities in Panama and the U.S. resulted in the building of one of the largest Harpy Eagle centers in the world, and the Harpy Eagle is now a cultural icon throughout Panama. My presentation will show how this project developed and provide interesting insight into this magnificent raptor!