He Was Obsessed With the 'Most Intriguing Creatures'

Iain Douglas-Hamilton, a British-born zoologist and conservationist who dedicated much of his life to protecting elephants, has died, his Save the Elephants group said on Tuesday. He was 83. Douglas-Hamilton was known for decades of conservation work, which included pioneering trackers and collaring to protect elephants against poaching and the illegal ivory trade, per the AP. He died on Monday in Kenya, the statement said. Save the Elephants said he was "instrumental in exposing the ivory poaching crisis" and documenting the destruction of more than 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."

"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," said the group's CEO, Frank Pope. "He never lost his lifelong curiosity about what was happening inside the minds of one of our planet's most intriguing creatures." Elephants use their ivory tusks—the elongated teeth on either side of an elephant's mouth—for gathering food, digging, and self-defense. But people have used ivory throughout history, including for weapons, jewelry, ornamentation, and traditional medicinal purposes.

Douglas-Hamilton's research was considered by many to be essential in the push to ban the international trade of ivory. But despite being outlawed in 1989 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, ivory demand continued driving African elephants toward extinction, and Douglas-Hamilton's advocacy played a role in shuttering domestic markets in an array of countries in the 2010s. During that decade, the Chinese government also took steps to halt ivory trade, including shutting down factories and retail outlets.

The Wildlife Conservation Network, which has Save the Elephants as a founding partner, said in a statement on Tuesday that Douglas-Hamilton was a "giant in the field of conservation" and worked tirelessly to protect elephants. "Iain was a pioneer and an icon. He was deeply respected, loved, and admired and will be missed beyond words," the network said. Douglas-Hamilton was also a close and longtime friend of famed primatologist Jane Goodall, who died in October at the age of 91. Douglas-Hamilton is survived by his wife, Oria, their two daughters, and six grandchildren.