EP 848: Forrest Galante - Conservation, Extinct Species & the Florida Shark Crisis

Wildlife biologist and Discovery Channel host Forrest Galante discusses the Florida shark population crisis, revealing how coastal development and habitat destruction are forcing sharks into closer proximity with humans. Galante, best known for Discovery Channel's Extinct or Alive where he searches for animals thought to be extinct, explains that hunters and fishermen contribute over 2 billion dollars a year to conservation in the US through licenses and federal excise taxes on gear. In this episode, he shares his journey from catching a ten pound catfish on the Zambezi River in Mozambique at age four to becoming a conservation-minded biologist, and discusses why fishing is one of the most sustainable wildlife uses we have. He addresses the controversial topic of shark culling in Florida, noting that shark bite rates are actually dropping as a percentage of people swimming in the ocean, and explains how knee-jerk reactions to shark bites, including hunts that culled thousands of sharks, did nothing to reduce shark bite incidents according to scientific studies.

From the Zambezi River to Wildlife Conservation

Forrest Galante's fishing journey began with a defining moment at age four on the Zambezi River in Mozambique. His father put a fishing rod in his hands for the first time, and when his father caught a ten pound catfish, Galante was immediately hooked. Growing up in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, he fished basically every day, and it became part of who he is. This early connection to fishing evolved into a career that spans food, sport, and conservation work. Galante explains that he fishes for absolutely everything - for food, for fun, for a living because his whole career is based around that skill set, and for conservation. He emphasizes that fishing is therapeutic and fun, and after a lifetime of practice, he's become pretty good at it, whether he's in Zanzibar hunting for sharks or fishing in Lake Michigan.

The Economics of Hunter and Fisherman Conservation

When discussing the stewardship role of recreational outdoorsmen, Galante makes a compelling economic argument that hunters and fishermen are the only conservation group that actually has to pay for conservation. In the US alone, hunters and fishermen spend over 2 billion dollars a year on conservation, and that money comes directly from hunting and fishing licenses and federal excise taxes on gear. This funding pays for the conservation of habitat and species that these groups use, while non-hunters and non-fishers benefit from that conservation without paying for it. Galante argues that fishing is the most sustainable wildlife use that we have, and considering the level of scrutiny that fishing comes under versus any other wildlife use, fishing should be incentivized and celebrated because it's what's keeping these species and these habitats alive. He emphasizes that it's not the people sitting on the couch in New York that are keeping these ecosystems intact - it's the people that are out there hunting and fishing.

Extinct or Alive: Rediscovering Lazarus Species

Galante's path to conservation work began in college when he studied fisheries and wildlife management. During that time, he started learning about different species that were thought to be extinct and became fascinated with the concept of Lazarus species - animals that we think are extinct but might still be there somewhere in the wild. He started conducting research trips trying to rediscover these animals, and that's where Extinct or Alive came about, documenting those research efforts and how field research is conducted to find these animals. The show found several animals they were looking for, including the New Guinea singing dog in Indonesia, the Philippine eagle-owl, and Vaquita using drones. Along the way, they documented habitat and learned about local communities and their relationship with the species. Galante emphasizes that there's a lot of conservation work happening that people don't see, and that wildlife conservation isn't just about finding these animals - it's about protecting them and learning from local communities how to do that. This work was a real turning point in his career, transforming him into a more conservation-minded person.

The Reality of Shark Bites in Florida

The Florida shark situation is what Galante calls a really touchy subject. Florida has seen an increase in shark bite incidents in the last decade and is one of the leading states in terms of shark bites. However, what's happening behind the scenes reveals a more complex story than sensational headlines suggest. Coastal development is destroying shark habitats and forcing them into closer proximity with humans, making these sharks more accessible to people. Overfishing compounds the problem, and catch-and-release recreational fishing in coastal areas with chumming essentially attracts sharks into populated areas. The state's response included some really intense shark hunts that culled thousands of sharks, but these actions didn't do anything to reduce shark bites, which was revealed in scientific studies showing that approach doesn't work. Galante points out that shark bites are actually really rare and not increasing at any alarming rate - when you look at the percentage of people swimming in the ocean, the rate of shark bites is actually dropping. He believes this is more of a media phenomenon than an actual problem, and people need to start understanding sharks better instead of demonizing them.

Apex Predators and Ocean Health

Galante advocates strongly for a shift in how society views sharks, emphasizing that we need to stop demonizing them and start celebrating them for what they are. These apex predators have been around for 450 million years and are incredibly important to ocean ecosystems. His message is clear: sharks are not the enemy and we shouldn't be treating them like they are. Without sharks, we don't have healthy oceans. This perspective comes from someone who has spent his life in and around water, from that first ten pound catfish on the Zambezi River to current conservation work around the globe. The combination of his fishing background, formal education in fisheries and wildlife management, and fieldwork finding extinct species gives him a unique platform to communicate the importance of apex predators in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems that all anglers and ocean users depend on.

Key Takeaways

• Hunters and fishermen contribute over 2 billion dollars annually to conservation in the US through licenses and federal excise taxes on their gear, making them the only conservation group that actually has to pay for conservation.
• Forrest Galante started fishing at age four on the Zambezi River in Mozambique when his father caught a ten pound catfish, which sparked a lifelong passion that became the foundation of his career.
• The show Extinct or Alive successfully found several Lazarus species including the New Guinea singing dog in Indonesia, the Philippine eagle-owl, and documented Vaquita with drones.
• Florida's shark culling programs that killed thousands of sharks did nothing to reduce shark bite incidents according to scientific studies, proving that approach doesn't work.
• The rate of shark bites as a percentage of people swimming in the ocean is actually dropping, making the perceived shark crisis more of a media phenomenon than an actual increasing problem.
• Coastal development in Florida is destroying shark habitats and forcing sharks into closer proximity with humans, while catch-and-release recreational fishing with chumming attracts sharks into populated areas.
• Sharks have been around for 450 million years as apex predators and are incredibly important to ocean ecosystems - without sharks we don't have healthy oceans.

Final Thoughts from Tom

I really enjoyed this conversation with Forrest. What struck me most was his perspective on the economics of conservation and how hunters and fishermen are literally funding the habitat protection that everyone benefits from. That 2 billion dollar figure really puts things in perspective when you hear criticism of recreational fishing and hunting.

The shark discussion hit close to home for me as a Florida angler. Forrest's point about shark bites actually decreasing as a percentage of swimmers, while the media makes it seem like the opposite, is exactly the kind of fact-based perspective we need more of. The idea that we culled thousands of sharks and it did nothing to reduce incidents should make us all think differently about knee-jerk reactions to wildlife management challenges.

What I love about guests like Forrest is that they're out there doing the actual fieldwork, studying fisheries and wildlife management, finding extinct species, and bringing real data to these conversations. His journey from that ten pound catfish moment on the Zambezi River to becoming someone who shapes how we think about conservation shows how a childhood passion can evolve into meaningful impact. Share this episode with someone who cares about fishing and conservation - these are the conversations that matter.