University reptile expert receives MBE

Professor Mark O’Shea was awarded an MBE at Windsor Castle for services to Higher Education, Zoology, Reptile Conservation and Snakebite Research.

The award was made in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2020, but the investiture was delayed due to Covid. Mark received his award from the Princess Royal, Princess Anne on 30 November 2021.

Wolverhampton born and educated, Mark O’Shea, graduated from Wolverhampton Polytechnic in 1985 with a degree in Applied Sciences, with honours.

Now, Mark teaches on the University’s Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation and Biosciences courses in the Faculty of Science and Engineering. He also held the position of Consultant Curator of Reptiles at West Midland Safari Park from 1987 until 2019. 

An internationally renowned TV presenter and reptile expert, he is also an explorer, professional photographer, author of seven books, public speaker and a respected scientist. Mark’s adventurous herpetological television series, O’Shea’s Big Adventure, was broadcasted internationally and ran for four seasons.

As an advocate for herpetological conservation issues, Mark has conducted herpetological fieldwork or made films in almost 50 countries, on every continent except Antarctica.  He has worked on numerous tropical expeditions and co-lead a team documenting the entire herpetofauna of Timor-Leste, Asia’s newest country, many of the species being new to science. He has so far described seven new snakes and a gecko but upwards of a dozen more species are pending.

Mark has also worked on snakebite projects in countries where there are high incidences of snakebites, a neglected tropical disease which globally claims up to 138,000 lives each year and permanently disable a further 400,000 victims. He has captured and “milked” (done venom extractions) on some of the most venomous snakes on the planet, for venom research and antivenom production. When he talks about snakebite, he understands the problem from both the researcher’s and the victim’s standpoints, having survived several serious snakebites himself.

His popularity means his public lectures and outreach work are well-attended by people of all ages, encouraging young herpetologists interested in studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects.