Before They Vanish

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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

  1. Sep 28

    Author James Michael Dorsey – The Friendly Whales of San Ignacio Lagoon

    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 he calls the lagoon the only place on earth where wild animals in their natural habitat routinely seek out human contact. James traces his love of whales to a sea kayaking trip in British Columbia in 1996, when a pod of three orcas swam close enough to touch, and to his first trip to Baja in 1998. He describes hearing whales through the hull of a kayak, how gray whales navigate the coast without echolocation, and how the lagoon works as a nursery where mothers train their calves and then bring them to the boats to play. The conversation also covers the challenges the whales face, including warming waters, starvation, ship strikes, and the need for stronger protections. It also covers Mexico's protection of the lagoon, the difference between whales and dolphins, whether a whale could really swallow a person, why whales don't belong in captivity, and a whale-human connection that reaches back at least ten thousand years. RESOURCE LINKS: - Get the book: https://JamesMichaelDorseyAuthor.com/books/the-lagoon-encounters-with-the-whales-of-san-ignacio-james-michael-dorsey/9781635768428 - Travel with James: https://www.BajaEcoTours.com/ - Enjoy more episodes of Before They Vanish: https://www.BigBlendMediaHouse.com/p/before-they-vanish-podcast - Learn more about James: https://JamesMichaelDorseyAuthor.com/

  2. Aug 25

    Libraries Beneath the Sand: Racing Al Qaeda to Save Timbuktu's Ancient Manuscripts

    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" Podcast, James shares what it was like to pack and smuggle manuscripts by camel caravan across the Sahara, hiding them under slabs of salt to slip past Al Qaeda patrols, and distributing them to nomadic families who buried them in the desert for safekeeping. He also talks about the Tuareg "Blue Men" of the Sahara, explorer Ernst Aebi's strange attempt to build a luxury resort in the dying village of Araouane, and the ongoing effort to digitize what manuscripts remain today. 📖 Read James's full feature, "Libraries Beneath the Sand," at Hidden Compass: https://hiddencompass.net/story/libraries-beneath-the-sand/  🎙️ Listen to more episodes of Before They Vanish:  https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/before-they-vanish-podcast  🌍 Learn more about James Michael Dorsey and his books: https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/

  3. Jul 27

    Baboons for Lunch

    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 remote cultures around the world. The conversation explores why he seeks out vanishing societies, how these experiences have shaped his writing, and what he's learned about storytelling, spirituality, and living in the present. James also offers a preview of his upcoming journey to Mongolia, where he'll live with nomadic eagle hunters in the Altai Mountains. James Michael Dorsey is an award-winning author, photographer, explorer, and cetacean specialist who has traveled extensively through 56 countries. His work focuses on documenting remote cultures, endangered traditions, and marine wildlife through books, photography, lectures, and personal narratives. Learn more about James Michael Dorsey: https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/  Listen to Big Blend Radio's "Before They Vanish" Podcast: https://before-they-vanish.podbean.com/

  4. Jun 22

    Before They Vanish — Series Launch Getting to Know Explorer & Author James Michael Dorsey

    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 Tanzania, being used as baboon bait by the Hazda people, and feeding his dinner to a feral cat at a Chinese Air Force base.  Along the way he reflects on what it means to give a voice to cultures that may not exist much longer, why he taught himself photography to prove his stories were real, and how a pension from the post office set him free to explore the world. James has visited over 60 countries, documented more than 100 tribal and indigenous cultures, published nearly 1,000 essays, and authored four books. In our Getting to Know You segment he shares his spirit animal, his worst and best meals in the field, what he'd put in a 500-year time capsule, and the one superpower he'd choose to keep exploring as he gets older. Books by James Michael Dorsey: — The Lagoon: Encounters with the Whales of San Ignacio — Baboons for Lunch and Other Sordid Adventures — Vanishing Tales from Ancient Trails — Tears, Fear and Adventure Learn more about James and his books at https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/  New episodes of Before They Vanish air every 4th Monday at 4pm PST on Big Blend Radio. Subscribe from our favorite platform: https://before-they-vanish.podbean.com/  More about Big Blend Radio at https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/

  5. Jun 22

    James Michael Dorsey: Award-winning Author & Explorer on Big Blend Radio

    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 the world’s most remote marine environments. He reflects on the urgency of cultural preservation, noting that when the last speaker of a language is lost, an entire library of knowledge disappears. From encounters with the Hadzabe people of Tanzania to time spent observing cetaceans, this conversation explores storytelling, responsible travel, and the deep connections between humans, wildlife, and place. 🔗 Learn more about James Michael Dorsey, his books, and work: https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/

  6. Jun 22

    A Taste of Africa: Goat Blood, Baboon, and Spaghetti in the Sahara

    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 nomads deep in the Sahara Desert. Along the way, James shares the story of being used as baboon bait — and living to tell about it. This segment is excerpted from Big Blend Radio's "Taste of Africa" episode (Dec. 2025). James Michael Dorsey is an award-winning author, explorer, and conservationist who has traveled to over 60 countries documenting vanishing tribal and indigenous cultures. "Before They Vanish" is hosted by Dorsey and produced by Lisa Smith for Big Blend Radio. Learn more about James and his books at jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com

    A Taste of Africa: Goat Blood, Baboon, and Spaghetti in the Sahara
  • 6 Episodes

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    before-they-vanish
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026. Big Blend Radio Network. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Before They Vanish