Since 1994, Johan Ernst has visited every country on the planet. He's completed more than 70 worldwide expeditions spanning all the continents and oceans
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Red Colobus
Africa is home to red colobus monkeys that are remarkably diverse. They differ in behavior, vocalizations, facial expressions, and even coat colors and patterns (redheads with white beards, brunettes with smooth chins, blondes with black head bands). Instead of thumbs, they have a small remnant bump. They can ferment leaves in their guts and digest…
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Madagascar
While our planet is a wonderland of wildlands, there are few places as spectacular as Madagascar, a Biodiversity Hotspot. The world’s largest oceanic island and the fourth largest island overall, Madagascar contains a diverse range of ecosystems that host an exceptional array of species. It holds one of the greatest concentrations of evolutionary history anywhere…
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Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park is one of the most special places on the planet. It is Africa’s oldest and most biologically diverse protected area. It’s home to more than 2,000 plant species, 706 bird species, and 218 mammal species. The park is home to about 1/3 of the world’s population of Endangered gorillas. Founded in 1925…
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Mount Kilimanjaro Summit Concert
The origin of the name Kilimanjaro is not precisely known, but a number of theories exist. European explorers had adopted the name by 1860 and reported that “Kilimanjaro” was the mountain’s Kiswahili name, but according to the 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopedia, the name of the mountain was “Kilima-Njaro.” It is also claimed that…
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Kayak Sweden to Morocco
When Johan biked across Europe to Africa, he often looked at the guys kayaking the same route, and he remembered saying to himself that he was going to try that when we got home. Well, Mount McKinley came up and he really didn’t get the time to practice until one day when his friends discussed…
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Antarctica Sailing Expedition
The Arctic and Antarctic waters are some of the hardest in the world, with high waves, strong currents, and ice-cold water. To make it even more interesting, there are icebergs floating around, and getting into land can sometimes be the most dangerous part of the trip. On my way to Antarctica, I decided to do…
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South Pole Expedition
After many months of traveling by ski, bike, sail, and swimming, I was finally in South America and started to plan for Antarctica. I had been through hell with problems all over my back, but every problem had a solution, and I decided that all the problems in the world were not going to stop…
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Mount Vinson
The Vinson Massif is about 1,200 kilometres from the South Pole. It is about 21 km long and 13 km wide. The highest point is 4,892 metres, and it was named in 2006 after Carl Vinson, a member of the U.S. Congress. Antarctica is the world’s coldest, windiest, highest, and driest continent. Beneath the ice,…
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Antarctic Research Expedition
For many years, Johan Ernst Nilson has been producer and cinematographer for TV productions in the Arctic, Antarctica, North West Passage and the Magnetic North Pole. Swedish Polar Research Institute and Discovery Channel were behind the assignments, and the expeditions resulted in many documentaries and photo exhibitions. After a few expeditions, he understood he could…
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North Pole Expedition
The North Pole is defined as the point in the Northen Hemisphere where the Earth’s axis of rotation meets its surface. The North Pole is the northernmost point on the Earth, lying diametrically opposite the South Pole. At the North Pole all directions point south; all lines of longitude converge there, so its longitude can…
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Kite across Greenland
To plan for everything is impossible, but you have to plan for as much as possible. Before Pole2Pole I knew that there were many things that would be completely new to me, like snow kite and polar crossings. I had already spent a lot of time in polar regions like Antarctica, the Arctic and Northwest…
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Arctic Dogsled Race
The Arctic is constantly changing. The landscape changes from minute to minute, while Antarctica looks the same. The High Arctic is as scary as it is interesting; it’s really Heaven and Hell in the same location. In 1999, Johan was asked to join a dogsled race in the Arctic, starting in Norway and 400 km…
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North West Passage
The Swedish Polar Research Institute was a new way for Johan to do adventures. Combining photography, science and film together with adventure was the perfect way for him to do expeditions. Johan needed more than just the adventure. After 100 days in Antarctica, he started to understand how important it was to get his message…
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Shark Conservation Fund
The Shark Conservation Fund (SCF) is the world’s leading collaboration of philanthropists dedicated to restoring ocean health through shark and ray conservation. Its mission is to help maintain the vibrancy of the world’s oceans by stopping the overexploitation of sharks and rays and preventing extinctions through strategic and collaborative grantmaking. Thirty-six percent of the world’s 1,250 shark…
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Leuser ecosystem
The Leuser Ecosystem is 6.5 million acres of rainforest on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is the last place on Earth where Sumatran Orangutans, Rhinos, Asian Elephants, and Tigers still live together in the wild. The pristine lowland forests, lush peat swamps, and cloud-shrouded mountain forests are among the largest remaining intact rainforests in…
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Sumatran Rhino
Re:wild works to protect Sumatran rhinos and their dense forest habitat on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia. Critically Endangered Sumatran rhinos are now found only in small, isolated populations, which has made it hard for them to easily find each other to breed. There are not enough baby rhinos being born in…
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Mounts iglit-baco Natural Park
Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park, first established as a protected area in 1970, is in the heart of Mindoro Island in the Philippines. The remote and mountainous park is part of the Philippines Biodiversity Hotspot and forms part of several Key Biodiversity Areas—places that are critical for the survival of unique plants, animals and fungi. The…
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The Annamite Mountains
The Annamites, a rugged mountain chain on the border of Vietnam and Laos, harbors some of the world’s most threatened and least-known mammal species, several of which are found nowhere else on the planet. The mountain chain is divided into two Ecoregions, one in the north and one in the south, within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity…
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Mount Everest
Mt Everest is not only the highest mountain in the world, at 8,848 metres (29,029 ft), but it’s also one of the most dangerous places on Earth. In 2007, Johan Ernst Nilson stood on the summit of the world, and once again, Johan realized that the Impossible can be made Possible! The most difficult tasks…
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Borneo Photo Expedition
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in the Malaysian Sabah District of North Borneo was founded in 1964, to rehabilitate orphan orangutans. The site is 43 sq km of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve. Today, around 60 to 80 orangutans live free in the reserve. Johan Ernst Nilson visited the centre while…
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Mount Shishapangma
After reaching the highest point in North America, Johan became interested in mountains. There is some kind of magical atmosphere in the mountains that is hard to explain. Heinrich Harrer was an Austrian climber who got to know His Holiness Dalai Lama in the early 1900s in Tibet. He was asked by the Dalai Lama…
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Harlequin Toads
Across Central and South America—from Costa Rica in the north, to Bolivia in the south, and in nine countries in between—the streams and forests are speckled with the colors of the rainbow. This is thanks to a diverse and vibrant group of amphibians called harlequin toads. These beautiful and charismatic toads come in orange, red,…
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Indio Maíz-Tortuguero
Protecting a paradise of biodiversity in Nicaragua. The Indio Maíz Biological Reserve, a protected area of more than 770 square miles of lowland tropical forest and swamps, provides critical habitat for rare and threatened species including Baird’s Tapirs, Jaguars, Great Green Macaws, and wild almond trees. This area is one of the last bastions of…
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Caribbean
The Caribbean Sea boasts 10,000 square kilometres of reefs, 22,000 kilometres of mangroves, and 33,000 square kilometres of seagrass beds. It also harbors a rich community of wildlife, including 3,000 species of lobsters, crabs and molluscs, and at least 1,300 fish. The mangroves alone lock away even greater amounts of carbon dioxide by area than…
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Trans-America Bike Expedition
There are no words for how fantastic it was to sit on a bike after so many months of fighting on the floating ice at the North Pole. In life, things never turn out as you expect them to, so instead of standing in Greenland, I ended up in Canada and Nunavut. The bikes that…
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Summit of Sweden in a Wheelchair
When Aron was very young, he got cancer. He decided to live, and not only that, he decided to become the best. Today, Aron has a new life and many World Championship Gold medals in sailing, ice hockey and the Paralympics. Aron’s determination saw him and Johan climb the highest peak in Sweden, Kebnekaise. If…
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Bosnia’s Blue Heart
The Neretvica River is one of the main tributaries of the Neretva River, the famous Balkan river known for its emerald green color. Neretvica flows through 60 villages and 100 hamlets and is home to dozens of fish species and spawning habitats. It flows within the Mediterranean Basin Biodiversity Hotspot, known for its globally important wildlife…
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Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco, meaning “White Mountain”, is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises 4,810 m (15,781 ft) above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence. It is also sometimes called La Dame Blanche (the White Lady). For many years, Johan…
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Mount Elbrus
Mt Elbrus is the highest mountain in Europe, but that is not what they taught us in school. There are many questions regarding the Seven Summits and where to climb what. Is it Mt Blanc or Mt Elbrus in Europe? Is Papua New Guinea a part of Australasia etc. Just to avoid any discussions Johan…
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Jetski Over the Atlantic
In 2001 Johan Ernst Nilson was asked to produce an expedition with Jetski over the Atlantic. His role was Expedition Leader, Support Boat Leader and Film Producer. At first Johan Ernst Nilson turned down the proposal but changed his mind when National Geographic was interested in producing the documentary together with Johan. The expedition started…
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Flying Boat from Sweden to Africa
The Flying Boat Expedition must be one of Johan Ernst Nilson’s biggest challenges. This was by far the least physical one, but just because it wasn’t physical doesn’t mean it wasn’t complicated. Country by country, Johan had to fight against regulations, bureaucracy, and government. The first problem that came up when planning the flight over…
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Bike Sweden to Sahara
May 16th 1994, was a day that changed my life. That was the day I started biking from Stockholm to Africa after a bet with my friend Rikard. The question was, could a guy with the lowest grade in school gymnastics bike across Europe? Well, after 52 days and 6,500 km, I lay down in…
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Alaska Walkabout
Hiking is a fantastic way to travel. It is slow, you experience a lot, and you get to sleep in the wilderness. After climbing Mt McKinley, the highest mountain in North America, Johan and his friend Nicolas Gafgo decided to go out for a hike a very long hike. Johan estimates the walkabout to be…
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North America Bike Expedition
“What is there left to explore? Hasn’t everything been discovered?” When I started my journeys in 1994, I thought I had seen it all, but the more I travelled the more I understood that I haven’t really seen anything yet. Now, after 32 expeditions through 100 countries, I understand, more than ever, how small I…
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The Bahamas
The Bahamas is home to the third-largest barrier reef in the world, and more than 300 bird species (many of which depend on The Bahamas to rest and recharge on long migratory journeys). It is a part of the Caribbean Biodiversity Hotspot and includes multiple Key Biodiversity Areas—places that are of critical importance to the…
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Cuban Crocodile
The Cuban Crocodile has been driven to historically low numbers in the wild by indiscriminate hunting for skins. Added to this is the threat of hybridization with American Crocodiles. Although hybridization between the two species has occurred for thousands of years, the small population size and habitat restrictions of the Cuban Crocodile make it a…
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Redonda Island
Once a barren ‘moonscape,’ Redonda Island has transformed from a barren moonscape into a lush wildlife sanctuary in just a few short years and has been made one of the biggest protected areas in the Caribbean. The new designation results from the ongoing efforts of the government of Antigua and Barbuda, particularly the Department of…
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Mount McKinley (Denali)
Mount McKinley (Denali) was Johan’s first mountain, and he was now at a crossroads in his life after his biking expedition from Sweden to Africa. Was the biking adventure a “once-in-a-lifetime” thing, or was it a start to a new lifestyle? Johan’s life took a sharp turn, and he started looking for new challenges. His…
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The kākāpo
Kākāpō are among the world’s most ancient bird species and have inhabited New Zealand for millions of years. After humans arrived and introduced predators to the island, the once-abundant Kākāpō population rapidly declined. By the 1970s, only 18 Kākāpō were known to exist in New Zealand. This flightless species—the world’s heaviest parrot—seemed doomed for extinction.…
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Tasmanian Devil
In an epic homecoming, re:wild has worked with partners to bring the Tasmanian Devil back to mainland Australia for the first time in 3,000 years. The reintroduction of 26 devils in 2020 to an expansive new sanctuary on Barrington Tops in New South Wales represents a historic first step in an epic journey to rewild Australia—one…
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Papua Tribe Expedition
The Korowai, also called the Kolufo, are a people (about 3,000) of southeastern Papua. Until 1970, they were unaware of the existence of any people besides themselves. The Korowai universe is filled with all kinds of spirits, some more personal of character than others, and for Johan to enter some of the tribes was an interesting…
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Mount Carstensz
Carstensz Pyramid is situated in the western central highlands of Papua and is the highest mountain in Oceania, 4,884 m (16,024 ft). It’s also the highest point between the Himalayas and the Andes and the highest island peak in the world. Puncak Jaya was named ‘Carstensz Pyramid’ after the Dutch explorer Jan Carstenszoon, who first…
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Mount Kosciuszko
The highest mountain on the Australian mainland is Mount Kosciuszko, 2,228 metres (7,310 ft). The mountain is far more complicated to spell than to climb. It is more of a hike than a climb. This is the highest mountain in Australia but not the highest on the continent, including Australia and New Guinea. That mountain…
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Fernandina Galápagos Tortoise
In 2021, scientists at Yale University, with support from Re:wild and other partners, confirmed a genetic match between the only individual Fernandina Galapagos Tortoise (or Fernandina Giant Tortoise)—collected in 1906—and a single female tortoise found during a 2019 expedition to Fernandina Island. The finding marked the seventh rediscovery of one of Re:wild’s original top 25 most wanted…
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Northern Muriqui Monkey
There’s something particularly striking about the Northern Muriqui Monkey, and it’s not just the animal’s beautiful long arms and legs or the graceful way it swings through the treetops. It’s the way they relate to one another: They are the most peaceful primates in the world, living in uniquely egalitarian societies where relationships between males…
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Amazonia
The expansive Amazonia rainforest is perhaps the most iconic and well-known of the world’s wildlands. It is a lush tropical landscape that is not just one rainforest but, in fact, home to half of the world’s tropical forests and the largest river system on Earth. Millions of wildlife species—many of which haven’t even been discovered…
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Mount Aconcagua
Aconcagua, 6,960.8 m (22,837.3 ft). Johan Ernst Nilson has done two expeditions to Aconcagua, on which they had to turn around the first time and the second time to reach the summit. The Polish Glacier Traverse route crosses through the Vacas valley, ascends to the base of the Polish Glacier, and then traverses across to…
