Scorpions of Southern Africa

Jonathan Leeming was born in Ravenshead, England in 1970 to outdoor parents. While growing up in Europe, he developed an appreciation for the natural world especially creatures with lots of legs or no legs at all. In 1984 he moved to South Africa which opened up an entirely different world of bigger and better creepy crawlies.

Since immigrating he has become a recognised authority on southern African scorpions. Jonathan is author of “Scorpions of southern Africa” and has contributed too various publications, film and TV productions. An accomplished professional speaker, he never misses an opportunity to rant and rave about his favorite creatures.

Jonathans work takes him to various locations in Africa. When not working in Africa he spends his time dashing around southern Africa giving lectures, courses, leading outings and writing about not just his beloved creepy crawlies but all manner of subjects. When relaxing and not scratching around for scorpions he usually retreats to some of the more remote places in southern Africa and just gets away from everything. He swears that one day he’ll spend his Christmas holiday at Umhlanga rocks like normal people. Until then, come Christmas time you’ll find him pedaling his trusty and rusty old bike up mountain passes in Lesotho or along the sandy and corrugated roads of the Namib Desert, or scratching around in the most awesome places immaginable.

Author of Scorpions of southern Africa, Co-Author of The Bushveld - A Comprehensive Field Guide to the Waterberg.   escribes the book thing as a humbling experience that made him realise that you do not need to write a book or get a PHD to make a huge difference in the lives of others. Describes his scorpion lectures as not really about scorpions (Huh?). Likes to leverage his knowledge and abilities to help the less fortunate and the needy. His advice to anyone wanting to do something but thinks there not qualified or the right person is “Believe in yourself and go for it!”