John E. Cooper is a veterinary surgeon who has had a life-long involvement in raptors and other wildlife. He works closely with naturalists, bird-keepers, biologists, conservationist, and members of both the medical and veterinary professions. With his wife, Margaret E. Cooper, a lawyer, he has lived overseas for ten years, mainly in Africa. In Britain he is primarily a diagnostic pathologist, concentrating on wildlife an exotic species. He has postgraduate and specialist qualifications in tropical veterinary medicine, biology, comparative pathology and avian medicine. He holds appointments at several academic institutions in Europe and Africa. Author of many books and papers, he has a particular interest in promoting veterinary educations, conservation and both human and animal welfare in a global context.