Before They Vanish
For over 30 years, award-winning author and explorer James Michael Dorsey has traveled to remote corners of the globe to document tribal cultures that may not exist much longer. "Before They Vanish" brings his stories to life — hosted by Dorsey, produced by Lisa Smith for Big Blend Radio. New episodes air every 4th Monday at 4pm PST.
Episodes
On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Before They Vanish" Podcast, explorer and author James Michael Dorsey returns to talk about the gray whales he has spent decades getting to know in Baja's San Ignacio Lagoon, and about his book, "The Lagoon: Encounters with the Whales of San Ignacio." Once hunted to the edge of extinction, these forty-ton animals now swim right up to the boats to be petted, and James explains why...
Nearly thirty years ago, explorer and author James Michael Dorsey traveled to Timbuktu to see its legendary manuscript libraries — and found himself swept into a race against time. As Al Qaeda's presence grew in northern Mali, his Tuareg guide, Halis al Moctar, recruited him to help evacuate centuries-old manuscripts before the extremist group could destroy them.
On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Before They Vanish" Podca...
In this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Before They Vanish" Podcast, award-winning author and explorer James Michael Dorsey shares unforgettable stories from his acclaimed book, "Baboons for Lunch: And Other Sordid Adventures."
From joining the Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania on a baboon hunt to unexpected cultural experiences in China, Dorsey reflects on the humor, risks, and life lessons that come from immersing himself in...
Welcome to the launch of "Before They Vanish," a Big Blend Radio podcast hosted by explorer, author, and naturalist James Michael Dorsey and produced by Lisa D. Smith.
In this debut episode, James takes us on a journey through a lifetime of extraordinary adventures — from his first trip to Kenya where a chance meeting with a Maasai elder sparked a 30-year obsession with vanishing tribal cultures, to sleeping in caves in Tanza...
As part of Big Blend Radio's "Book Blitz Month" programming (Jan. 2026), award-winning author, explorer, photographer, and cetacean specialist James Michael Dorsey shares stories from a lifetime of global exploration.
Having traveled through 60 countries, Dorsey discusses his work documenting remote cultures, endangered languages, and oral traditions, as well as his experiences studying and interacting with whales in some of ...
What does an explorer actually eat in Africa? In this episode, author and explorer James Michael Dorsey joins host Lisa Smith to talk food, survival, and culture across nine African countries — from drinking fresh goat blood with the Maasai, to eating baboon with the Hazda hunter-gatherers of Tanzania, to discovering that spaghetti is the staple food of Tuareg...
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