Richard  Hoath is a leading naturalist based in Egypt, having traveled extensively throughout the Middle East. He is the author and illustrator of A Field Guide to the Mammals of Egypt (paperback edition, 2009), and many other books and articles on the wildlife of the region. He is a founder member and serves on the Egyptian Ornithological Rarities Committee, is a long-time member of the Ornithological Society of the Middle East (OSME), and is currently on the faculty of The American University in Cairo.