Zander Hathaway is a domesticated ape dedicated to rewilding and living in greater harmony with nature. Born in the high-tech Silicon Valley of California, he was raised with a highly unnatural lifestyle and developed significant health challenges, including osteoarthritis, that modern medicine considers irreversible. He also witnessed several family members suffer from cancer and other degenerative “diseases of civilization”. As a result, he began reading many books natural health and discovered a wide range of conflicting opinions and high degree of confusion, especially in the field of nutrition. This motivated him to continue learning about physiology, exploring different modalities, and finding solutions for himself and others.

While earning his degree in Business Administration from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Zander began investigating the root causes of disease and dysfunction in modern society — the commodification and exploitation of nature, the domestication of humans, other animals, and plants, the industrialization of food and medicine, the degradation of our environment, debt slavery, dependency on advanced technologies, etc.

He realized that the most effective and holistic strategies for solving these problems require an understanding of how our hominid ancestors lived for millions of years prior to our mastery of fire. This includes living in a tropical climate among multigenerational tribes, foraging mostly fruit and leaves, getting ample fresh air and sunlight, moving in natural ways (like barefoot walking, running, crawling, climbing and brachiating), sleeping at night, using primal communication (body language, actions, and sounds that convey present emotions and needs without symbolic language), and being in a meditative state of sensory awareness. Essentially, he discovered that simply mimicking our fellow great apes in certain ways, we can revolutionize our health on all levels — personal, interpersonal, and planetary.

In 2011, Zander moved to the Diamante Valley of Costa Rica. He lived and worked in several intentional health-conscious communities, such as Costa Rica Center for Natural Living and Osa Mountain Village, where he led eco-tours of the permaculture gardens and rainforest. In 2015, while living at Fuente Verde Organic Farming Community, he facilitated his first rewilding retreat, Ape Living.

Over the next several years, Zander worked with Upward Spirals to create Diamante Solution Center, a wellness and education center that later became a network of local retreat venues. As Communications Specialist, he assisted with research, writing, marketing, event production, and hospitality for dozens of events. In early 2018, he hosted his second Ape Living retreat and began his health coaching practice.

Inspired to support aligned projects that are regenerating our natural health and habitats, Zander cofounded Perma Vida Foundation in 2021. He is currently caretaking a homestead in San Luis, supporting his clients and loved-ones with their health, and writing his first book.. Aside from learning and teaching about healthy living, he enjoys practicing natural movement, calisthenics, discovering new fruits, creating delicious raw foods, juice feasting, yoga, breathwork, massage, drumming, playing guitar, frisbee, chess, and just aping around.