Born in 1953 and educated at the University of Tasmania, Nick Mooney worked as a volunteer for the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service from 1972, helping with raptor survey and management. He gained employment as a wildlife biologist in 1977 focusing on management of eagles in forestry and Tasmanian devils on farms, tasks naturally leading to a close interest in thylacines. After a career also including responses to wildlife disease (including starting the official response to Devil Facial Tumour Disease), whale strandings, oil spills, invasive species control, developing wildlife tourism and promoting the Living with Wildlife concept, Nick left the public service in 2009 to focus on writing and private nature conservation. Nick now operates as a wildlife tourism guide (sometimes in Antarctica) and as a volunteer and consultant. He sits on the steering committee for the Save The Tasmanian Devil program and is the Tasmanian representative of the Australasian Raptor Association and an honorary curator of vertebrates at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.