Brave Wilderness: Travel YouTuber, Wildlife, Videos and Encounters
Who is Brave Wilderness? Coyote Peterson wildlife team 21M subs. Bites, Amazon, conservation verified Oct 2026. Brave Wilderness calls itself your one-stop…
Key takeaways
- Brave Wilderness is Coyote Peterson's wildlife team with ~21.8M subscribers and 1.1K videos since 2014.
- English edutainment: Breaking Trail, Beyond the Tide, Dragon Tails, bites and stings index, conservation Costa Rica.
- Emmy 2015 youth, Guinness 2019 animal channel, Animal Planet 2020, 5.4B views, Columbus Ohio base.
- Start with Blue Crayfish 64M, Salamander 53M and YellowJackets 15M, then Komodo 2026.
Quick facts
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Creator | Coyote Peterson with Mark Vins and Mario Aldecoa |
| YouTube channel | Brave Wilderness — @BraveWilderness |
| Country / origin | American — Columbus Ohio, Box 247 (verified) |
| Language | English |
| Content type | Wildlife encounters, destinations, conservation |
| Subscribers | ~21.8M, ~1.1K videos, ~5.4B views (2026) |
| Main destinations | Amazon, Costa Rica Osa, Arizona desert, Caddo Lake, Ohio lab, Asia scorpions |
| YouTube start | 8 Sep 2014–present, 1000+ videos |
| TV | Animal Planet Brave the Wild 2020, Emmy 2015 Breaking Trail |
| Site | bravewilderness.com, Global Guardians podcast |
Who is Brave Wilderness?
Brave Wilderness calls itself your one-stop connection to a wild world of adventure and amazing up-close animal encounters. Behind slogan are hosts Coyote Peterson and Mark Vins, wildlife experts with cameramen, medics and local guides.
Nathaniel Peterson started posting in 2014 with series Breaking Trail which won a 2015 Emmy for youth programs, then Dragon Tails reptiles, Coyote’s Backyard, Beyond the Tide coasts and On Location expeditions. He became famous for letting himself be stung or bitten on camera by bullet ants and executioner wasps to teach pain and respect, not dare. In 2020 he said probably done with sting videos, but bites index remains core with doctors on set.
In 2019 Guinness certified most-subscribed and most-viewed animal channel. In 2018-2020 Animal Planet made Coyote Peterson Brave the Wild, special Return to Wilderness Feb 2019, series Feb 2020. In May 2021 team joined Biden-Fauci call for vaccines. Base is 1491 Polaris Pkwy Box 247 Columbus Ohio.
Conservation is real: estimated 100 videos filmed in Costa Rica, primary focus supporting BioSur in Osa Peninsula. New Global Guardians podcast with Mario Aldecoa and Trent Underwood explores people shaping wildlife future.
For Silent Walks, Brave teaches look closely at small life before walking big cities silently.
His YouTube journey
1. Backyard to jungle (2014–2017). Ohio salamanders, backyard bugs. Blue Crayfish 64M, Salamander 53M. Learns macro lens, handling permits.
2. Bite index fame (2018–2021). YellowJackets 15M, Toxic Worms 13M, Devil’s Toilet Paper 24M, Isopod 49M. Guinness 2019. TV deal. Says done with stings 2020, pivots conservation.
3. Conservation expeditions (2022–2026). Komodo Dragon face-off 2026, Amazon forest lobster 2.6M, rattlesnake survival, Asian scorpions, mosquito lab Ohio State with Ray Tiller and Dr experts. Still weekly, 11.5M views 30d, US rank 180, world 624. Est $52K monthly.
What kind of travel content does Brave Wilderness make?
- Expeditions. Amazon rainforest, Osa Peninsula, Arizona desert, Caddo Lake shadows. Boats, night walks.
- Bites and stings. YellowJackets box 200, banded hornet, deathstalker scorpion, fishing spider, assassin bug, toxic worms. Medics present, do not attempt.
- Species finds. Blue crayfish new species?, giant salamander, forest lobster, snapping turtle.
- Versus. Coyote vs Komodo Dragon dangerous face-off with iodyne collab.
- Tide pools. Beyond the Tide crabs, isopods, eels.
- Lab. Ohio State entomology mosquito box head experiment with Dr, Ray arm swarm.
- Conservation. BioSur Osa, Global Guardians podcast, Top 25 encounters.
What he does not do: silent walks, hotel reviews, city food tours. He shows wild so you walk city aware.
Countries and destinations covered by Brave Wilderness
Wild-first:
Americas wild
- USA Arizona desert – rattlesnake, centipede. Survival try, medics.
- USA Caddo Lake – giant fishing spider. Shadow waters face-off.
- USA Ohio lab – mosquitoes. Deadliest animal thousands at time experiment.
- Costa Rica Osa – 100 videos. BioSur conservation home. Lodges, scarlet macaws.
Amazon
- Brazil/Peru forest – lobster, worms. Forest lobster caught 2.6M, toxic worms bitten.
Asia Middle East
- Asia scorpions – banded hornet, deathstalker. Meanest stings.
- Japan hornet – giant challenge. 8 insane challenges compilation.
After wild, walk cities calmly: Bangkok Silent Walk for green markets, Singapore Silent Walk for gardens, Tokyo Silent Walk for order, Marrakech Silent Walk for desert edge, Cairo Silent Walk for Nile life. For trip context these films teach guides, parks, vaccines and ethics useful before silent walks.
Check @BraveWilderness playlists Conservation, Top 25.
Brave Wilderness videos to discover
1. NEW SPECIES FOUND?! Rare Blue Crayfish
- 64M, 9 years ago. Flagship find.
2. GIANT SALAMANDER FOUND!
- 53M. Appalachian streams.
3. STUNG by 200 ANGRY YellowJackets
- 15M. Pain education classic.
4. Real Isopod Hours
- 49M, outlier 100x. Tide weirdness.
5. Coyote vs Komodo Dragon Dangerous Face-Off
- 2026 275K-814K. Respect distance lesson.
6. Mosquito Experiment Gone Wrong Ohio State
- 2026 lab, Ray arm swarm, Coyote head box. Do not attempt.
7. Forest Lobster CAUGHT Amazon / BITTEN 3 Toxic Worms
- 2.6M / 13M. Jungle handling with experts.
Use Top Videos channel 237K subs for compilations 1h40.
Brave Wilderness travel style
- Narration: Fast excited educational, Coyote! Fact: 10-22 min, chapters.
- Camera: Macro close, slow-mo sting, drone canopy sparingly.
- Sound: Jungle, water, bite reactions. No animals harmed, not removed habitat.
- Safety: Experts, guides, medics on set. States it every video.
- Ethics: Catch-release, habitat respect, BioSur support.
- Gear: Boots, gloves, nets. No luxury.
- Books/shop: Bite Sting Index books, Brave Store merch funds trips.
Difference: Brave adds adrenaline to nature; Silent Walk keeps city calm pure.
Who is Brave Wilderness channel for?
- Kids, schools: Emmy youth, classroom safe (preview bites).
- Wildlife travelers: Species, parks, guides.
- Conservation donors: Osa BioSur concrete.
- Families: Mostly clean, creepy but educational.
- Slow walkers: Look small before walking big.
- Not for: Squeamish, luxury only.
Destinations inspired by Brave Wilderness on Global Silent Walks
- After jungle noise: Bangkok Silent Walk for market green.
- After gardens: Singapore Silent Walk.
- After desert edge: Marrakech Silent Walk.
- After river life: Cairo Silent Walk.
- After order: Tokyo Silent Walk.
- After water calm: Venice Silent Walk.
Independent bridges.
Explore the destination differently
Brave teaches 10 minutes watching a crayfish. Bring same to silent city: 10 minutes watching light on stone. For species, vaccines, park permits, wild films beat lists. For photo spots, crowds, accessibility, silent walks win.
Start with World Destinations.
Official socials
- YouTube main: https://www.youtube.com/@BraveWilderness — 21.8M
- Coyote personal: 1.19M, Mark Vins 728K, Top Videos 237K
- Site: bravewilderness.com, emails list
- TikTok: @bravewilderness, @coyotepeterson, @raytiller_off
In pictures
FAQ
Who is Brave Wilderness?
Coyote Peterson wildlife team, 21.8M subs, animal encounters since 2014.
How many subs?
21.8M main + 1.19M personal, 1.1K videos, 5.4B views.
Famous?
Blue Crayfish 64M, Salamander 53M, YellowJackets 15M.
Safe to copy bites?
No. Trained crew with experts and medics. Do not attempt.
Start?
Crayfish, Salamander, then Top 25 encounters.
Reliable for wildlife trip?
Good species/ethics/guides. Book licensed parks, officials 2026.
Sources
- Official: https://www.youtube.com/@BraveWilderness, bravewilderness.com
- Wikipedia Coyote Peterson Jun 2026: born 1981, Emmy 2015, Guinness 2019, Animal Planet 2020
- vidIQ May 2026: 21.8M, 5.45B, US 180 world 624
- YouTube about: 1.1K videos, conservation Osa BioSur
Data verified October 04, 2026.
Last verification: October 04, 2026.