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Wildlife Wars: My Battle to Save Kenya's Elephants
"Known the world over for his work in early human origins, Richard Leakey was serving as director of Kenya's National Museums when in 1989 President Daniel arap Moi appointed him to run the country's Wildlife Department. The news stunned Leakey. He was suddenly in charge of an enormous bureaucracy whose responsibility was to oversee millions of square acres of parks and sanctuaries, and to protect the animals living in them. Like many other Kenyans, Leakey knew that the country's fabulous wildlife population, in particular, the elephant, was in very real danger. By the late 1980s, the once numberless herds of elephants that roamed its savannas were dwindling fast, victims of poachers armed with automatic weapons, bureaucratic inefficiency, and the world's appetite for ivory. Extinction was more than a theoretical possibility." Wildlife Wars is Leakey's account of these turbulent times, capturing Kenya's struggle to balance the needs of its human population with the task of maintaining the world-famous parks that are its major source of revenue. As candid and controversial as its author, this memoir, cowritten with Leakey family biographer and writer Virginia Morell, is testimony to one man's commitment to save African wildlife and to serve his country.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
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473 people want to read
About the author
Richard E. Leakey
38 books74 followersRichard Erskine Frere Leakey was a paleoanthropologist and conservationist. He was the second born of three sons of the archaeologists Louis Leakey and Mary Leakey, and was the younger brother of Colin Leakey.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 3, 2024
Written by the original head of the Kenya Wildlife Service, who burned the country's stockpiled elephant tusks in the 1980s to call attention to the need for a ban on the ivory trade, this book offers many insights into the challenges of working with a government to save wildlife.
Some standout parts of the text:
- learning about your random appointment to a government office through the news, just like the rest of the public
- the government being very reluctant to arm rangers against poachers due to worries about potential political insurrection
- Kenyan society's struggles with tribalism over racism
- how easy it is for people in power to siphon conservation money to everything except conservation
A very interesting look into conservation issues on a national scale.
Some standout parts of the text:
- learning about your random appointment to a government office through the news, just like the rest of the public
- the government being very reluctant to arm rangers against poachers due to worries about potential political insurrection
- Kenyan society's struggles with tribalism over racism
- how easy it is for people in power to siphon conservation money to everything except conservation
A very interesting look into conservation issues on a national scale.
August 28, 2020
Leakey's account reads well, with lots of action and controversy. It gives insight into the complexity and political difficulty of saving the world's wildlife treasures, and in many places it's inspiring. But it's more an autobiography than an analysis of issues, and the perspective is almost always first-person. Leakey presents his views and deeds in a simple, clear way. He boldly defends his record against his detractors. After all, his fight has led him to become a politician, and the book becomes a politician's memoir.
May 20, 2009
A good book about a critical period in KWS's history. I enjoyed it especially as many of the principals written about are friends.
April 11, 2015
Decent read. It turned out to be much more political than I was expecting, for some reason. I guess I should have assumed it would be highly political. I suppose I was just expecting more action stories directly from the bush. Some of the political explanations and of course, his versions of the stories, almost felt like a campaign. I can definitely see why he's famous for his ego. It came across largely in his writing. He seemed to find a way to tie in every person who had ever talked bad about him, and give a lengthy explanation on why HE was right and they were wrong. I understand that this is HIS book and that is completely his prerogative, but it sometimes came across as unnecessarily defensive, instead of brushing it off. It also added pointless fluff. The book really didn't need so much petty political drama for us to understand the battle against poachers. However, I still respect the book itself and the good that Leakey did is undeniable in the poaching war. I immensely enjoyed the stories of revamping the parks and killing the poachers. That's why it still got 3 stars from me. Another minor gripe is that there were many spelling errors that should have been edited out.
January 23, 2017
This book is as relevant to todays poaching issues as it was to the time it focuses on. In 1989 Richard Leakey was appointed to be the Director of the Kenyan Wildlife Department. He expresses his passion for Kenyan wildlife and desire to save it as well as his love for his country. However the same problems faced him then as they do now. Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it, Greed, Money, Lies, and Corruption. These issues are a common theme thru out the book. What it does show is that somewhere there will always be good people fighting for what is right and fighting for a future.
April 2, 2017
This book was a fascinating read about paleoanthropologist and conservationist Richard Leakey’s adult life. It focuses mainly on his years following his directorship of Kenya’s National Museums, when the President of Kenya at the time, Daniel Moi, hired Leakey to head the problematic and rogue Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS). What was most interesting is how Leakey was handed a department riddled with corruption, rampant poaching, illegal ivory trade, nonperforming personnel, old and outdated equipment and weapons—all with no funding—and how he attacked and overcame every enormous issue he was dealt. He did it with courage, boldness and great proficiency. After reading this memoir, I have gained tremendous admiration for the man on every level, he is truly inspirational, honorable, highly accomplished and deeply passionate about wildlife conservation and Kenya’s success.
Something Leakey said in the book resonated very much for me and I think is so true: “Responsible government—government that listens to and respects the needs of the people—offers the only way for our elephants, our wildlife, our parks, and our country to endure.”
Something Leakey said in the book resonated very much for me and I think is so true: “Responsible government—government that listens to and respects the needs of the people—offers the only way for our elephants, our wildlife, our parks, and our country to endure.”
May 23, 2013
Richard Leakey and Virginia Morell are always worth of our attention as we strive to educate ourselves in order to be more effective in our attempts to live sustainably with our fellow Co-Species - equal but differently abled on this planet.
I found that this book moves along in a life adventure as it explains the serious problems along the way - Corruption was rampant (rangers were poaching or in cahoots with the poachers) - Much of the equipment did not work - there was a lack of training for those involved, gasoline was not available to do vehicle patrols. The poachers use automatic weapons, hard to fight. Tourists were/are robbed and killed, which disourages tourism which is a necessary source of income to protect the wildlife.
Dr. Leakey's observations are important - unfortunately he is describing a problem that is more and more prevalent in "different clothing" in much of our world - now openly we are being told that for our own good mining in state and federal lands, blasting of mountains - and many things that will ruin the habitat for all manner of wildlife is okay or to be desired. Many of our politicians are no better than rangers poaching and/or helping the poachers . . .
Do read this book . . and reflect on how the challenges in Africa are also present in many forms in our more "civilized" countries . . . .
Save Vermont, its wildlife and its Green Mountains -Please sign our petition - Save The Lowell Mountains NOW - please post this petition to your pages - we can save our planet! http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save...
The Vermont Green Mountains AND all of their wild life and habitat are under attack by corporations seeking the huge, millions of dollars of Federal Subsidies - If the Lowell Mountains Industrial wind Turbine project goes through - so will more than 30 more and many more mountain tops will be flattened. They are getting around Act 250 - at stake: Wetlands, Wildlife habitat including: Bear, Moose, Deer, Bat, Eagle, Hawk, songbirds, Owl, Woodpecker, Beaver and other habitat. The blasting will ruin the aquifers leading to streams, bogs, wells and wetland alteration and/or destruction. Vermont does not have enough wind to even minimally excuse the destruction of its mountain tops. The rural people of Vermont do NOT have the money to fight this - but with your signatures on the petition - with Joining our Facebook page - Save The Lowell Mountains Now! http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Save... and sending the letters and emails in the NOTES sections - We CAN turn this around! Please - this is happening right now . . . Please help us!!! Please help save Vermont, its heritage beauty, its rural lifestyle, its tourism, and its wildlife
I found that this book moves along in a life adventure as it explains the serious problems along the way - Corruption was rampant (rangers were poaching or in cahoots with the poachers) - Much of the equipment did not work - there was a lack of training for those involved, gasoline was not available to do vehicle patrols. The poachers use automatic weapons, hard to fight. Tourists were/are robbed and killed, which disourages tourism which is a necessary source of income to protect the wildlife.
Dr. Leakey's observations are important - unfortunately he is describing a problem that is more and more prevalent in "different clothing" in much of our world - now openly we are being told that for our own good mining in state and federal lands, blasting of mountains - and many things that will ruin the habitat for all manner of wildlife is okay or to be desired. Many of our politicians are no better than rangers poaching and/or helping the poachers . . .
Do read this book . . and reflect on how the challenges in Africa are also present in many forms in our more "civilized" countries . . . .
Save Vermont, its wildlife and its Green Mountains -Please sign our petition - Save The Lowell Mountains NOW - please post this petition to your pages - we can save our planet! http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save...
The Vermont Green Mountains AND all of their wild life and habitat are under attack by corporations seeking the huge, millions of dollars of Federal Subsidies - If the Lowell Mountains Industrial wind Turbine project goes through - so will more than 30 more and many more mountain tops will be flattened. They are getting around Act 250 - at stake: Wetlands, Wildlife habitat including: Bear, Moose, Deer, Bat, Eagle, Hawk, songbirds, Owl, Woodpecker, Beaver and other habitat. The blasting will ruin the aquifers leading to streams, bogs, wells and wetland alteration and/or destruction. Vermont does not have enough wind to even minimally excuse the destruction of its mountain tops. The rural people of Vermont do NOT have the money to fight this - but with your signatures on the petition - with Joining our Facebook page - Save The Lowell Mountains Now! http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Save... and sending the letters and emails in the NOTES sections - We CAN turn this around! Please - this is happening right now . . . Please help us!!! Please help save Vermont, its heritage beauty, its rural lifestyle, its tourism, and its wildlife
June 14, 2017
Richard Leakey is a conservation hero who faced difficult decisions and navigated a difficult political environment that resembled a busy intersection of competing interest groups. His tenure as Kenya's wildlife director turned the future of Kenya's elephants and national parks 180 degrees and was marked by vitality, strength of conviction, a grand vision, daring execution, logical decision-making and a flair for the dramatic that served well in international publicity and fundraising. This account is readable for all these reasons but also for his emotionally stirring descriptions of the African landscape and his palpably roguish sense of humor. More broadly speaking, his life as both paleoanthropologist and conservationist was fruitful and brimming with achievement, and a timely remainder of the contributions and impact a person can create when he meets astonishing challenges without surrendering to dispiritedness or cynicism. It's disappointing that the Angelina Jolie movie of his life seems indefinitely postponed.
July 2, 2018
Interesting
Very interesting, but ends abruptly. I enjoyed learning about how poaching was stopped and Leakey's struggles in the government. But then he is back for one year and doesn't recount what happened, then briefly mentions being secretary to the president, and the book is over. Would have loved to hear more how those years went and if it helped resolve more issues with KWS.
Very interesting, but ends abruptly. I enjoyed learning about how poaching was stopped and Leakey's struggles in the government. But then he is back for one year and doesn't recount what happened, then briefly mentions being secretary to the president, and the book is over. Would have loved to hear more how those years went and if it helped resolve more issues with KWS.
May 29, 2020
I was concerned when I bought this that it might be a bit... Heavy. With long political jargon and not so easy to understand. But whilst reading, I found it very accessible, interesting and written at a decent pace. I would be interested now to view the same story from a different perspective, perhaps President Moi, Bashir or David Western and see how they differ. However, as they do not yet exist, I have finished the book content, with a comprehensive and thorough recall of events.
September 9, 2019
Eye opening but a good bit of excess as well
Such a shame that so few see the value of our natural resources and have the passion for animals required to protect them as we over populate and encroach on their space. Thank goodness for those in this book who work to save Africa’s jewels.
Such a shame that so few see the value of our natural resources and have the passion for animals required to protect them as we over populate and encroach on their space. Thank goodness for those in this book who work to save Africa’s jewels.
March 1, 2020
Funny to be annoyed by the amount of "I, I, I, me, me, me" in a memoir. Found it truly jarring at first, but I learned to get past it and found the story illuminating and fascinating. Good option/companion read after finishing Cry of the Kalahari, and a worthwhile departure from my current aim to devote most of my reading to mostly female authors and authors of color.
September 29, 2024
THE FAMED PALEOANTHROPOLOGIST TELLS OF HIS WORK OPPOSING ELEPHANT POACHERS
Most famous as a paleoanthropologist, Richard Leakey wrote in the Foreword to this 2001 book, "In this book I have attempted to give the flavor of a period in my life at a time in Kenya when poaching of elephants for their ivory was a matter of great concern to relatively few people, either in Africa or elsewhere... Many people... will continue to struggle with the challenges facing conservation in Kenya and in other countries. There is surely no simple prescription... African elephants continue to be threatened and probably will be for many years to come...
"Protecting elephants and conserving natural ecosystems remain my personal priorities... In Kenya, as in any number of African countries, poverty is real... The way toward eradicating poverty cannot through environmental degradation. The greater challenge is to create jobs, generate modest affluence, and encourage people to live away from lands that are critical for our planet's heath."
After accepting his new public service position, he realized, "Almost every year since our first expedition together, [his wife] Meave and I had spent our summers in the field, hunting for fossils. Now, for nearly the first time in twenty years, I knew I would not be going to Turkana with Meave. I simply wouldn't have the time... Those wonderful times at Turkana, our halcyon days together, were over. Meave would continue the Turkana expeditions without me." (Pg. 26)
He observes, "I was faced with the very real fact that one of the remaining species of elephants---the African elephant---was facing a serious threat of extinction... during the course of my lifetime... Perhaps because of my fossil-hunting background, I always associated the word 'extinction' with things that happened long ago... Nonetheless, I was seeing it happen." (Pg. 37)
He received death threats from poachers, and was assigned a bodyguard by the President (pg. 105), but he explains, "I wanted the poachers to think that I was as ruthless as they were, and I wanted my men to believe that they could win this bush battle." (Pg. 69) Part of the hatred of him came from his firing or transferring lots of corrupt of inefficient civil service employees: "Now here I was, tampering with this well-established, inefficient, and corrupt system. Of COURSE someone wanted me gone." (Pg. 107)
However, "I told my rangers to spread the word that we were ready to forgive any poachers who turned themselves in to us and gave us information we could use... I hoped we might convert them to our allies. I also offered jobs in our Wildlife Department to 'reformed' poachers... Some of the worst poachers are today among our best rangers." (Pg. 84)
He famously burned (rather than selling) a huge pile of ivory, telling the press, "'To stop the poacher, the trader must also be stopped... I appeal to people all over the world to stop buying ivory'... The next day pictures of the ivory fire filled the front pages of newspapers around the world... The whole world would now know about the African elephant crisis, and Kenya had taken the lead." (Pg. 92)
He acknowledges that he is an atheist (Pg. 257), but during a medical crisis when he received a kidney transplant, "I nearly died. I had a classic out-of-body experience... I had no desire to return to my body. Then I saw Meave sitting beside me... Her words made me fight... That experience built a lasting bond between us. It also took away any fear I had of dying." (Pg. 110) But he gives the harrowing account of the plane crash which ultimately resulted in the loss of both of his legs. (Pg. 254-255)
He laments, "Some of my best experiences were on expeditions on which we had hiked for miles and miles over rugged terrain. Many fantastic fossil discoveries would come at the end of long walks. I knew that all this would now be impossible." (Pg. 266) He asks, "Had the crash been an assassination attempt? It wouldn't have surprised me, given how many people were keen to get their hands on KWS's money. President Moi had warned me from the beginning that there were people who wanted me out of the way." (Pg. 259)
He states, "I do not think that zoos are necessarily bad institutions; they can be useful for teaching the public about wildlife and conservation." (Pg. 128) Later, he adds, "I'm not a conservation theorist, but I do believe in the value of national parks and protected areas overall. By this I mean places that are managed for the benefit of the animals and plants that live there and from which humans are largely banned or their movements constrained." (Pg. 132) He says, "I was all in favor of parks earning their keep... this goal... could be attained via tourism and tourist dollars, which was a far wiser and more humane conservation method." (Pg. 224)
My famous mother, Mary, told him, "You know, don't you, Richard, that this work you're doing for the elephants and the other wildlife is far more important than any of your fossil work?" (Pg. 136) Yet ultimately, he realized that "The government no longer trusted me." (Pg. 241) And "If [President Moi] and the government no longer trusted me, as seemed to be the case, it was better to step down." (Pg. 274)
This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in animal conservation, Leakey's life, African politics, etc.
Most famous as a paleoanthropologist, Richard Leakey wrote in the Foreword to this 2001 book, "In this book I have attempted to give the flavor of a period in my life at a time in Kenya when poaching of elephants for their ivory was a matter of great concern to relatively few people, either in Africa or elsewhere... Many people... will continue to struggle with the challenges facing conservation in Kenya and in other countries. There is surely no simple prescription... African elephants continue to be threatened and probably will be for many years to come...
"Protecting elephants and conserving natural ecosystems remain my personal priorities... In Kenya, as in any number of African countries, poverty is real... The way toward eradicating poverty cannot through environmental degradation. The greater challenge is to create jobs, generate modest affluence, and encourage people to live away from lands that are critical for our planet's heath."
After accepting his new public service position, he realized, "Almost every year since our first expedition together, [his wife] Meave and I had spent our summers in the field, hunting for fossils. Now, for nearly the first time in twenty years, I knew I would not be going to Turkana with Meave. I simply wouldn't have the time... Those wonderful times at Turkana, our halcyon days together, were over. Meave would continue the Turkana expeditions without me." (Pg. 26)
He observes, "I was faced with the very real fact that one of the remaining species of elephants---the African elephant---was facing a serious threat of extinction... during the course of my lifetime... Perhaps because of my fossil-hunting background, I always associated the word 'extinction' with things that happened long ago... Nonetheless, I was seeing it happen." (Pg. 37)
He received death threats from poachers, and was assigned a bodyguard by the President (pg. 105), but he explains, "I wanted the poachers to think that I was as ruthless as they were, and I wanted my men to believe that they could win this bush battle." (Pg. 69) Part of the hatred of him came from his firing or transferring lots of corrupt of inefficient civil service employees: "Now here I was, tampering with this well-established, inefficient, and corrupt system. Of COURSE someone wanted me gone." (Pg. 107)
However, "I told my rangers to spread the word that we were ready to forgive any poachers who turned themselves in to us and gave us information we could use... I hoped we might convert them to our allies. I also offered jobs in our Wildlife Department to 'reformed' poachers... Some of the worst poachers are today among our best rangers." (Pg. 84)
He famously burned (rather than selling) a huge pile of ivory, telling the press, "'To stop the poacher, the trader must also be stopped... I appeal to people all over the world to stop buying ivory'... The next day pictures of the ivory fire filled the front pages of newspapers around the world... The whole world would now know about the African elephant crisis, and Kenya had taken the lead." (Pg. 92)
He acknowledges that he is an atheist (Pg. 257), but during a medical crisis when he received a kidney transplant, "I nearly died. I had a classic out-of-body experience... I had no desire to return to my body. Then I saw Meave sitting beside me... Her words made me fight... That experience built a lasting bond between us. It also took away any fear I had of dying." (Pg. 110) But he gives the harrowing account of the plane crash which ultimately resulted in the loss of both of his legs. (Pg. 254-255)
He laments, "Some of my best experiences were on expeditions on which we had hiked for miles and miles over rugged terrain. Many fantastic fossil discoveries would come at the end of long walks. I knew that all this would now be impossible." (Pg. 266) He asks, "Had the crash been an assassination attempt? It wouldn't have surprised me, given how many people were keen to get their hands on KWS's money. President Moi had warned me from the beginning that there were people who wanted me out of the way." (Pg. 259)
He states, "I do not think that zoos are necessarily bad institutions; they can be useful for teaching the public about wildlife and conservation." (Pg. 128) Later, he adds, "I'm not a conservation theorist, but I do believe in the value of national parks and protected areas overall. By this I mean places that are managed for the benefit of the animals and plants that live there and from which humans are largely banned or their movements constrained." (Pg. 132) He says, "I was all in favor of parks earning their keep... this goal... could be attained via tourism and tourist dollars, which was a far wiser and more humane conservation method." (Pg. 224)
My famous mother, Mary, told him, "You know, don't you, Richard, that this work you're doing for the elephants and the other wildlife is far more important than any of your fossil work?" (Pg. 136) Yet ultimately, he realized that "The government no longer trusted me." (Pg. 241) And "If [President Moi] and the government no longer trusted me, as seemed to be the case, it was better to step down." (Pg. 274)
This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in animal conservation, Leakey's life, African politics, etc.
December 28, 2018
An interesting book for people interested in the recent historical-political situation and the fight against poaching in Kenya and the personal life story of the son of the world-wide well-known anthropologists Leakeys.
January 21, 2023
A pretty informative book which I've read in preparation for my conservation trip to Kenya. I don't always totally agree with Leakey regarding his conservation methods but it is interesting to get an look into how things work in Kenya. I'm in the country as I write this and it is fascinating to see the places that are spoken about in this book. The joint experience of being in Kenya whilst reading this has opened my eyes to alternative conservation planning. It's quite niche so I'm not sure I'd recommend it to everyone but I found it insightful.
December 6, 2023
A fascinating memoir from such an 'accidental' pioneer of wildlife conservation to protect Kenya's elephants from poachers & the Ivory trade. It also goes into a lot of detail about the politics in Kenya at the time which may be of interest to those studying the subject. A must-read for anyone researching the history of the Ivory trade.
March 25, 2020
Never be able to end it. Don't know why.
April 19, 2008
I eventually gave up on this book. He is just too self involved and self important for me to be able to see through the writing to the real story. Maybe I'll try again when I retire.
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April 22, 2019I have the german and english edition.
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