Dear Friend,

It is International Women’s Day and to celebrate we wanted to honour 5 inspirational women, past and present, who have been outspoken wildlife conservationists & animal rights activists in Africa.

What these incredible female heros all have in common are drive, determination, and leadership skills that have allowed them to change the world for the better, which is in line with this year's theme 'Invest in women: Accelerate progress.” #InvestInWomen.

Our endangered species need advocates now more than ever. And these inspirational women have proven that there’s nothing a person can’t accomplish through passion and persistence.

So let’s celebrate these famous wildlife conservationists and influential animal rights activists and join them in taking the movement forward to save animals.

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1. DR. JANE GOODAL

Internationally recognized chimpanzee expert Dr. Jane Goodall has been studying these great apes in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park and advocating for their protection for 55+ years.

A rare female in a scientific field that was dominated by men, Goodall was often criticized early in her career. Experts took issue with her giving names to the Chimpanzees she studied and interacting with them rather than remaining a passive observer of their behavior.

And yet her work forever changed our view of apes and mankind’s history.

Dr. Goodall established the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 to support her Gombe research and help conserve Chimpanzee habitats. The institute is recognized for its innovative educational and community-based programs throughout Africa.

Dr. Goodall also uses her knowledge to improve the conditions of lab Chimpanzees and those in zoos. As a United Nations Messenger of Peace, she continues to tour the world on average 300 days a year, educating the public and raising awareness about Chimpanzees.  

2. DIAN FOSSEY

One of history’s most controversial animal conservationists, Dian Fossey’s passion for Mountain Gorillas took her all the way to the misty mountains of Virunga, Rwanda in 1967.

She immersed herself in studying the familial relationships and societal structures of these primates for the next 20 years, and became a staunch opponent of poaching. She also invented many of the “active conservation” techniques still used today.

In 1983, Fossey published her memoir, Gorillas in the Mist, an account of her influential work studying four gorilla families. Fossey started a nature preserve for the study of Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda, and gradually habituated them to human presence.

She also built the Karisoke Research Center, where she was found brutally murdered in 1985.

Although Karisoke was destroyed during the Rwandan Civil War, her spirit continues via Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. The NGO is dedicated to protecting Mountain Gorillas, less than 900 of which remain in the wild today.

Kenya-born animal activist, Daphne Sheldrick lived and worked in the Nairobi National Park for over 25 years. After the 1977 passing of her husband, naturalist David Sheldrick, she started the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in order to help save orphaned wildlife.

Dr. Sheldrick grew up amongst wild and domestic animals on a beautiful farm in the Rift Valley. Her lifelong love of animals led her to the pioneering work of The Orphans Project. This world-renowned program takes in orphaned elephants and rhinos (the products of poaching) and rehabilitates them with loving care.

Known as the foster mom to these fragile babies, Sheldrick perfected the milk formula and the necessary husbandry, and has since been recognized as an international authority on the rearing of wild creatures. These animals are reintroduced into the wild after rehabilitation.

Since its inception, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has hand-raised over 150 infant elephants.

Sheldrick authored an autobiography, Love, Life, and Elephants: An African Love Story, as well as several books and articles. 

The BBC documentary Elephant Diaries and the film Born to be Wild depict her work with elephants.

In the 2006 New Year’s Honours List, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Dr. Sheldrick to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

4. DR. PAULA KAHUMBU

5. DR. LEELA HAZZAH

Born in Egypt, 37-year-old Dr. Leela Hazzah didn’t grow up with lions, as they had long been extinct in the country. However, her childhood of listening to stories about roaring lions inspired her to pursue a career in conservation biology.

In 2007, she started the non-profit Lion Guardians in East Africa to help protect the kings of the jungle. The organization began with just five guardians working in a small area in the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem. It has since expanded to 65 guardians spread all across Kenya and Tanzania, covering one million acres.

Dr. Hazzah lived among the Maasai people for a year in order to understand their relationship with the majestic beasts and why they were being killed. The root of the problem was the relationship the Maasai have with their livestock, which often fall prey to lions.

The non-profit now works with the tribe to save the lions by emphasizing the benefits of their preservation and their value to culture and tourism.

Read more about travel to amazing destinations, including tips from some of our travel experts.  If you'd like to read about other experiences on a Somak safari, visit our Inspiration pages. 

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Best regards,

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