Dr. William K. Hayes is a professor of biology and the director of the Center for Environmental Studies and Stewardship at Loma Linda University, California. He developed a passion for biodiversity during his childhood in Maryland, where he devoted most of his spare time to catching herps and chasing birds. He studied rattlesnake predatory behavior while earning B.S. and M.S. degrees at Walla Walla University, Washington, and examined venom expenditure by rattlesnakes for his Ph.D. at University of Wyoming. Since moving to California in 1996, he and his students have studied a variety of venomous animals, including rattlesnakes, spiders, scorpions, and centipedes. They also examine the behavioral ecology and conservation of endangered reptiles and birds, with emphases in the California and Caribbean Islands biodiversity hotspots. In addition to publications in scientific journals, he has written articles about environmental stewardship in an effort to promote a stronger conservation ethic among faith groups, and has co-edited several volumes, including The Biology of Rattlesnakes, The Biology of Rattlesnakes II, and Iguanas: Biology and Conservation.