About

Michael (Mike) McGovern is a wildlife photographer, filmmaker, and researcher that focuses on capturing the relationship between animals and the communities around them. Michael studied environmental science and economics at Dartmouth College and the University of Oxford. He then worked on a year-long fellowship between Dartmouth College and the Stamps Foundation studying the impacts of social media on big cat conservation, particularly for tigers and cougars.

Michael has worked with several nonprofits and media organizations on feature length films, mini-documentaries, and written articles. His professional filmmaking career began in 2015 with Rescue Doc Films where he worked on multiple projects, most notably award winning documentary The Hidden Tiger (2020). Michael began working with National Geographic as Steve Winter’s assistant at the start of 2020, and is now on a grant team with Steve and Sharon Guynup covering wildlife in the Northeastern United States.

Michael is the co-founder of a new nonprofit, Big Cat Voices, alongside four National Geographic Explorers. The organization is dedicated to bringing attention to the most pressing issues facing big cats and turning media projects into actionable change. You can visit their website using the button below