Edward McNabb, a trailblazer in conservation bioacoustics, died in May 2025 at age 81 after battling melanoma. For him, night in Victoria’s forests was not silence—it was alive with rich soundscapes he dedicated five decades to capturing and preserving.
In the 1970s, McNabb wasn’t seated in a lecture hall—he was jogging through the Dandenong Ranges when twilight awakened his curiosity about the forest’s hidden voices. Armed with a parabolic microphone and flashlight, he began systematically recording owls’ trills, marsupials’ rustles, and frogs’ croaks—calls that had never appeared in scientific records before. Thus emerged the art and science of conservation bioacoustics, long before it became recognized as a discipline.
McNabb’s passion materialized into landmark audio field guides—Nightlife of Australia’s South‑eastern Forests and Frog Calls of Melbourne. These recordings paired scientific precision with accessibility, becoming indispensable tools for scientists, land stewards, and nature lovers alike.
Serving as a senior scientist with Victoria’s Department of Sustainability and Environment from 1996 to 2012, McNabb led acoustic surveys across over 2,000 public land sites. His data-driven insights helped designate over 550 ecologically significant zones, ultimately safeguarding some 300,000 hectares of critical habitat. His contributions laid the foundation for conservation planning in the region.
In 1994, McNabb launched Ninox Pursuits—a unique consultancy and publishing platform for his acoustic research. He also reached out to local conservation groups, volunteers, and land managers, making his often-silent subjects vividly known through multimedia presentations rich with nocturnal calls. Back home in Gembrook, the forested reserve he cared for alongside his wife Susie became a living tribute to the species he feared lost.
McNabb’s final written work, Whoo Is Calling?, offers both gentle humor and wisdom born from years spent chasing elusive wildlife through sound. Though he never sought fame, his legacy endures—not just in recordings, but in the heightened awareness and protection of fragile ecosystems. His influence reminds us that listening deeply is often the first step toward conservation.
Edward McNabb’s life shows us that conservation isn’t just about counting species—it’s about tuning into their voices. Through his pioneering work, he taught us to value the songs of the unseen and to preserve the habitats that sustain them. As we move forward, may we continue to listen, protect, and honor the natural world—and the guardians like McNabb who made it their mission to make us hear it.
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