Today we mourn the passing of a legend. Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton was not only an extraordinary conservationist, he was a dear friend to WCN. He was as giant in the field of conservation as the magnificent elephants he worked tirelessly to protect. Iain was a pioneer and an icon. He was deeply respected, loved, and admired, and will be missed beyond words.
Iain dedicated his entire life to protecting elephants. He grew up surrounded by wildlife and was particularly fascinated by elephants’ intelligence, their social structures, and their majestic beauty, so he made it his life’s work to study and protect them. Over the course of his long and distinguished career, Iain made numerous groundbreaking discoveries about elephants. In 1993, he founded Save the Elephants, an organization that has become a leading voice in elephant conservation worldwide. Save the Elephants was one of WCN’s founding partners, becoming an integral part of our community since our earliest days; not only did Iain attend our very first Wildlife Conservation Expo in 2002, he was deeply involved in the growth and evolution of the organization.
“I recall at the second Expo when Iain pulled me aside and said, ‘Charlie, it’s wonderful to meet all these people, talk about elephants, and raise these funds, but what can I do for you and WCN?’ It was that spirit of generosity and partnership that defined our relationship and permitted both organizations, WCN and Save the Elephants, to grow substantially in their reach and impact for wildlife. Iain has been a mentor to me over the past 20 years and I learned so much from him about elephants, conservation, and life. He will be deeply missed,” said Charlie Knowles, WCN’s president and co-founder.
Iain was a tireless advocate for elephants and his efforts were instrumental in securing a ban on the ivory trade in 1989 and the founding of the Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF) in the face of another wave of aggressive elephant poaching in 2013. Iain’s contributions have saved countless elephant lives during his impressive five-decade-long career protecting one of our planet’s most intelligent, emotionally complex, and awe-inspiring animals.
Throughout his life, Iain inspired countless others to join him in the fight to protect elephants. His passion, dedication, and unwavering commitment to conservation serve as a shining example for all who seek to make a difference in the world. Today, we honor the memory of Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, our treasured friend and colleague, and celebrate his remarkable legacy.
If you’d like to honor Iain’s memory by supporting elephant conservation, you can make a gift here.