Tim Low

Tim Low (born 1956) is an Australian biologist and author of articles and books on nature and conservation. His seventh book, Where Song Began: Australia's Birds and How They Changed the World, became the first nature book ever to win the Australian Book Industry Awards prize for best General Non Fiction, in 2015. In the same year it was shortlisted for the NSW Premier's History Awards. An earlier book, Feral Future, inspired the formation of an NGO, the Invasive Species Council. His earlier books helped popularise Australian bush tucker. Four of his books have won national prizes.

For twenty years Low wrote a column in Nature Australia, Australia's leading nature magazine. He contributes to Wildlife Australia, Australian Geographic, Australian Birdlife and other magazines.

According to a 2023 report co-authored by Low, invasive species are the leading cause of native Australian animal extinctions since the 1960s. Low became very interested in reptiles as a teenager and discovered several new species of lizard. He named the chain-backed dtella (Gehyra catenata) and had the dwarf litter-skink (Menetia timlowi) named after him. His interests expanded to include plants, birds, mammals, fish and invertebrates. He has written journal articles that caution about the weed threats posed by biofuel crops, agroforestry trees and pasture plants.

He works as an environmental consultant, writer and photographer, serves on government committees and does public speaking. He has written many reports about climate change and received a Churchill Fellowship to study its impacts on wildlife. His photos have appeared in many books, including on covers. He is the patron of Rainforest Rescue. Low lives in Brisbane.

A species of lizard, Pygmaeascincus timlowi, is named in his honor.

Low was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours for "significant service to conservation, and to environmental education and awareness".

Notations

 * Low, Tim, Wild Food Plants of Australia, ISBN 978-0-207-14383-0