Staff Biographies

William Wallauer
Videographer

Bill Wallauer offers a unique impression of life among wild chimpanzees, as he spends most of his days following the chimps of Gombe National Park, video camera at the ready.

Chimpanzee births, dominance displays, infanticide attempts, encounters with snakes, the mysterious waterfall and rain "dances" — he has seen all of this and more. Much of his footage is unprecedented — including capturing a live birth on tape as well as a group of males moving with eerie silence through the forest as they patrol their territory. Ultimately the chimps locate and kill an adolescent from a neighboring community.

Film production companies have since recognized Bill's talent, and recruited him as a film camera operator, videographer and consultant for wildlife films being shot at Gombe and elsewhere. He has served as camera operator and scientific advisor for more than 30 productions including BBC/Animal Planet's Chimp Week, which aired in 2005 and 2006. He also shot the closing sequence for BBC/Discovery's 10-part series Planet Earth.

Bill became part of the life of the Gombe Stream Research Centre in 1989, while on assignment for the Peace Corps in Southern Tanzania. After attending one of Jane's lectures at the University of Dar es Salaam, a friend introduced him to Jane Goodall, who quickly recognized his enthusiasm for wildlife work, and engaged him to help the Centre transcribe some of the Gombe chimpanzee data.

After completing his Peace Corps work in 1991, the Oregon native was drawn back to Tanzania to help study the Gombe chimpanzees. His athleticism and prior field experience made him a natural at following chimps.
 
After successfully capturing a wild chimpanzee birth on videotape, Jane asked Bill to routinely follow the chimps and record their daily activities and behavior. Today he is an invaluable source of information about the Gombe and its chimps, and visitors often gain rare insight from this dedicated man with his tattered field vest, bandanna, and ever-present camera.

To inquire about engaging Mr. Wallauer as a speaker, please Contact Nona Gandelman.