Derek Gow

Derek Gow is a leading British ecologist, conservationist and author who has spent decades working to restore native wildlife across Britain. Founder of the Derek Gow Consultancy and its Species Recovery Centre in Devon, Derek and his team specialise in the breeding, reintroduction and translocation of threatened British species, including harvest mice, water voles, beavers and many others.

Derek’s involvement with Wild Pets goes right back to where the story began. After Eva and her family visited his Species Recovery Centre and was inspired by its work breeding native species for conservation, Derek provided the original breeding harvest mice that helped Eva and Emily begin their three-year mouse project. Now, as Wild Pets grows from that initial idea into a programme for more young people, Derek with support from animal husbandry lead Jenny and ecologists Izzy, Jess and Katie, are continuing to provide their expertise as well as with help from The Species Recovery Centre’s Outreach Manager, Tom Humphreys. The team will provide the breeding pairs of harvest mice for our first cohort of Wild Pets Kids, as well as specialist training for the young people and their families and expert guidance on animal care and welfare throughout the programme. Derek’s support ensures that wildlife welfare and sound conservation practice remain at the heart of everything Wild Pets does.

Derek is the star of a new hit TV documentary called “Derek vs Derek” which will be released in UK cinemas from 2nd October 2026.