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British-born zoologist Ian Douglas-Hamilton has died aged 83, his Save the Elephants group said in a statement.
Douglas-Hamilton was known for decades of conservation work, including pioneering trackers and collaring to protect elephants from poaching.
The statement said Tuesday that he died in Kenya on Monday.
“Ian was instrumental in highlighting the ivory poaching crisis, documenting the destruction of more than half of Africa’s elephants in a single decade, leading to a landmark intergovernmental decision to ban the international trade in ivory in 1989,” the statement said.
The group’s CEO, Frank Pope, said, “Whether sitting quietly among the elephants, poring over maps of their movements, or circling above the herd in his beloved plane, he had that twinkle in his eye. He never lost his lifelong curiosity about what was going on inside the brain of one of our planet’s most interesting creatures.”
The Uganda Conservation Foundation praised Douglas-Hamilton as someone who “generously shared her knowledge and expertise with the conservation community, inspiring action and collaboration. We honor a life that not only protected elephants, but empowered the people who protect them.”
Douglas-Hamilton is survived by his wife, Oria, their two daughters, and six grandchildren.