Hazen Audel is a renowned American adventurer, television presenter, biologist, educator, natural history guide, and artist. He gained widespread recognition through his National Geographic series ‘Primal Survivor’, which has been running successfully for four seasons since 2016. In this captivating show, Audel embarks on daring journeys to remote locations, immersing himself in the challenging lifestyles of indigenous people. Prior to this, he collaborated with the channel on the series ‘Survive the Tribe’, where he lived with a Native American tribe for a week. With an infectious enthusiasm, Audel has explored the world for over two decades, engaging in extraordinary activities such as crocodile egg hunting, spear-fishing, and reindeer herding. Alongside his adventures, he has also made significant contributions as an educator, teaching biology and art at Joel E. Ferris High School in Spokane, Washington for 11 years. Additionally, Audel co-founded ‘The Wild Classroom’ and is a founding member of ‘Untamed Science’.
Quick Facts
- Age: 49 Years, 49 Year Old Males
- Born Country: United States
- TV Presenters
- American Men
- Notable Alumni: Eastern Washington University, University Of Hawaii–Manoa
- U.S. State: Washington
- More Facts
- Education: Eastern Washington University, University of Hawaii
Rise to Stardom
As a child, Hazen Audel was fascinated with bugs and snakes and aspired to be a mix of Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod, David Attenborough, and Tarzan. He was the first in his family to pursue higher education beyond school and entered college to become a botanist. However, he was soon bored with traditional teaching methods and dropped out to seek adventure in the Amazon.
At 19 years old, Audel bought a ticket to Ecuador for $680 and a 25lb bag of rice for $20, and embarked on the journey with little money left in his pocket. He set up his camp near a settlement of indigenous Quechua people in Rio Misahualli, a tributary to the Amazon. He observed the locals fishing from a distance and attempted to catch fish himself. Eventually, he was invited to a dinner and began transporting coffee up and down the river, learning more about the tribal lifestyle and where to find bugs and snakes. He stayed in the Amazon for over eight months and returned every summer for the next five years, venturing further into the wild.
Back in the United States, Audel’s experience earned him a scholarship to the University of Hawaii, where he completed a degree in ethnobotany, cultural use of natural resources, Meso-American traditional hunting practices, and tropical ecology. He became a teacher at a local school and started filming educational videos of his summer adventures to inspire his students. These videos caught the attention of the National Geographic channel, which sponsored his six-part TV series, ‘Survive the Tribe’, in 2014.
Multifaceted Genius
Hazen Audel is not only skilled at chasing animals in the wilderness. In 1993, he founded an adventure ecotourism company and began guiding expeditions to the rainforest, providing an economic boost to the tribe that had sheltered him during his first trip to Ecuador. He is also an artist, learning the craft from his father, who was an artist and hot-rod builder. In 1999, Audel founded Hazen Audel Architectural Artworks and Custom Fabrication, creating metal sculptures and other artistic pieces for architectural projects. He has also contributed hand illustrations and paintings to various publications.
Alongside Robert Nelson and Jonas Stenstrom, Audel documented his adventures in the wild to inspire youth, leading to the creation of ‘The Wild Classroom’ in 2002. This educational outreach site later evolved into the educational portal ‘Untamed Science’, which consists of a group of scientists, educators, and filmmakers aiming to make learning fun and easy. Audel contributed to their first video, the documentary ‘Biodiversity of Mexico Project’, and continues to serve as a host and educator for the group.
Family & Personal Life
Hazen Audel was born on January 25, 1974, in Spokane, Washington, to Kootenai and Salish Native American parents. He also has Greek ancestry. He studied Zoology, Chemistry, and Ceramics at Eastern Washington University from 1992 to 1994. Despite dropping out midway through his studies at Western Washington University, he returned later to complete his Bachelor’s in Science in Biology with an emphasis in Entomology and Art in 1998.
Audel obtained his Master’s degree in Ethnobotany and Tropical Ecology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu in 2001. He also earned a Master’s degree in Teaching from Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, in 2002. He is fluent in English and Spanish and can converse in Quichua and Vanuatu (S. Pacific) pidgin. Despite his regular travels around the world, he spends most of his time in his hometown and maintains a close relationship with his parents.