Last Word: This Time, It’s Serious

I have been traveling to Africa for 30 years, and throughout that time, people have lamented the decline of the continent’s wildlife. But the pace of destruction has accelerated to a horrifying extent. In 1966, the year that saw the release of the movie “Born Free,” there were 450,000 lion in Africa. Today, there are fewer than 20,000. Elephant and rhino are being decimated. By the latest estimate, the human population of Africa will double by 2050 to 2.4 billion. But the interests of animals and people are not mutually exclusive. Well-managed wildlife tourism is an economic resource that builds schools and clinics and pays for scholarships. Many dedicated people are fighting to preserve what is left. Wildlife conservation attracts big personalities, and in Africa, they tend to get things done. You may be interested in the following individuals, whose organizations I know well:

• Richard Bonham, Big Life Foundation
• Ian Craig, Northern Rangelands Trust
• Helen Douglas-Dufresne, Milgis Trust Kenya
• Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Save the Elephants
• Tony Fitzjohn, Wildlife Now
• Richard Leakey, Wildlife Direct
• Charlie Mayhew, Tusk
• Dame Daphne Sheldrick, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust