Steve Engel

Watching whales off the California coast in 1986 marked the beginning of a career that has taken Steve across a wide range of wild landscapes and marine environments, far from his North Dakota homeland. Before that, he earned a BS in Natural History from The Evergreen State College in Washington in 1982, building a strong foundation in zoology, botany and geology. That scientific background has supported decades of work helping others understand the natural world through observation.

Since then, Steve has worked as an environmental educator, field biologist, animal tracker, hawk counter, wildlife trip leader, nature program supervisor and shipboard naturalist. He joined Lindblad Expeditions in 1991, sharing his knowledge of wildlife, ecosystems and natural history with travelers in remote destinations. His experience spans terrestrial and marine environments, providing a broad perspective on the interconnected processes that shape the places he explores.

Steve enjoys helping guests notice the relationships between plants, animals, landscapes and natural forces, revealing details that might otherwise go unseen. Whether interpreting a landscape or sharing observations from years in the field, he encourages curiosity and careful observation. He is also known to occasionally break into song to illustrate a concept or make a memorable connection. After forty-four years on the West Coast, he now lives in northern Minnesota near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and his family's cabin.