Dr Ian Douglas-Hamilton, the Elephant Whisperer, dies in Nairobi
World-renowned conservationist and president of Save the Elephant, Dr Ian Douglas-Hamilton, dies at the age of 83.
Renowned conservationist and president of 'Save the Elephant', Dr Ian Douglas-Hamilton, has died at the age of 83.
In a statement, the organisation announced he died on Monday night in Nairobi.
Dr Hamilton revolutionised the understanding and protection of Africa’s elephants. His connection with the continent’s giants began at the remarkably young age of 23, when he pioneered the first-ever scientific study of wild elephant social behaviour.
He also played a pivotal role in exposing the ivory poaching crisis of the 20th century.
World-renowned conservationist and president of Save the Elephant, Dr Ian Douglas-Hamilton, during his younger years.
His rigorous documentation of the slaughter of over half of Africa’s elephants in the 1980s provided the critical evidence that led to the landmark global ban on the international ivory trade in 1989.
“He was instrumental in exposing the ivory poaching crisis, documenting the destruction of over half of Africa’s elephants in a single decade leading up to a crucial intergovernmental decision to ban the international trade in ivory in 1989,” the organisation said.
His legacy includes co-founding the Elephant Crisis Fund in 2013, which has since disbursed over $40 million (Sh5.2 billion) to more than 500 conservation projects across 44 countries, empowering local efforts to combat poaching and human-elephant conflict.
World-renowned conservationist and president of Save the Elephant, Dr Ian Douglas-Hamilton, dies at the age of 83.
In 1993, he founded the Nairobi-based organisation Save the Elephants, with a mission to secure a future for elephants.
When a devastating new wave of poaching erupted between 2010 and 2012, claiming an estimated 100,000 elephants, Dr Hamilton led the charge once more.
“He testified before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in 2012, and his science-based advocacy for stronger protections played an important role in the global movement that resulted in the closure of domestic markets around the world, most importantly China’s in 2018,” the Save the Elephants statement read.
Iain and his wife Oria co-authored two award-winning books, Among the Elephants (1975) and Battle for the Elephants (1992), and his work was the subject of many television documentaries, including The Secret Life of Elephants (BBC 2008) and a recent feature documentary, A Life Among Elephants (Maramedia 2024). His extraordinary contributions earned him global recognition, including the Order of the Golden Ark (1988), the Order of the British Empire (1992), the Indianapolis Prize (2010), Commander of the British Empire (2015) and the Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize (2025).
“Iain changed the future not just for elephants, but for huge numbers of people across the globe. His courage, determination and rigour inspired everyone he met. Whether sitting quietly among elephants, poring over maps of their movements or circling above a herd in his beloved aircraft, that glint in his eye was there. He never lost his lifelong curiosity with what was happening inside the minds of one of our planet’s most intriguing creatures,” said Frank Pope, CEO of Save the Elephants and Iain’s son-in-law.
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