Ron Leidich

Naturalist, Biologist, Snorkel Guide & WWII Historian

Ron Leidich was born in Japan, raised in a Marine Corps family that travelled around the world, and for more than two decades has made his home in The Republic of Palau. He has a degree in zoology, certification in advanced life-saving and rescue, and has been a master scuba diver since 1991. His fascination for the natural world has drawn him to expand his knowledge and research efforts on a diverse range of topics, including but not limited to marine mammals, plants and pollinators, WWII history, conservation, ornithology and botany. 

Ron initially became a guide "as an excuse to spend every waking hour in the outdoors and among amazing creatures." After years of leading expeditions through aquatic and terrestrial wilderness adventures, he admits that he enjoys sharing the experience as much as the experience itself. 

Ron is a passionate conservationist who lobbies tirelessly to ban shark finning. He is also in charge of Palau's crown-of-thorns reduction program, which removes more than 5,000 of these coral-eating beasts every year. Ron also plans to be the first to record all of the bird calls in Palau. He speaks English, Spanish, Palauan, and some Indonesian.