Richard Erskine Leakey

Dr. Richard Leakey is currently a Professor of Anthropology at Stony Brook University, New York where he also serves as the Founder and Chair of the Turkana Basin Institute, a Kenya based research facility that studies the history of life, past climate change and origins of humans.  Until recently he was the Chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Service. Most of his life has been devoted to research on human origins, conservation of wildlife and public service.     Formerly Director of Kenya’s National Museums, Director of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Department, founding Director and Chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Service, Member of Parliament in Kenya and Head of the Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Richard Leakey is now focused on funding  the research institute at Turkana, the Turkana Basin Institute.   Currently he is establishing NGAREN, a stand-al

Dr. Richard Leakey was a Professor of Anthropology at Stony Brook University, where he also served as the Founder and Chair of the Turkana Basin Institute, a Kenya-based research facility dedicated to studying the history of life, past climate change, and the origins of humankind. Until shortly before his passing, he served as Chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Service. Much of his life was devoted to research on human origins, wildlife conservation, and public service.

Over the course of his distinguished career, Dr. Leakey served as Director of the National Museums of Kenya, Director of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Department, founding Director and Chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Service, Member of Parliament in Kenya, Head of the Public Service, and Secretary to the Cabinet. In his later years, he focused on supporting and advancing research at the Turkana Basin Institute.

Dr. Leakey also spearheaded the establishment of NGAREN, a unique memorial and educational initiative dedicated to celebrating and preserving humanity’s origins in Africa. He played a pivotal role in efforts to combat elephant and rhinoceros poaching during the early 1990s and remained an active advocate for the protection of great apes. He became increasingly vocal about the threats to biodiversity posed by global climate change and rapid human population growth.

A Kenyan by nationality, Dr. Leakey resided in Nairobi and traveled extensively to promote the causes and interests he championed. He published widely and participated in numerous documentaries, leaving a lasting legacy in the fields of paleoanthropology, conservation, and public service.
 

one, one of its kind memorial and celebration of our origins in Africa.  Richard Leakey has played a key role in efforts to combat elephant and rhino poaching in the early 1990s which continues and, he has actively campaigned for the protection of the Great Apes.  He has become increasingly vocal about the threats to biodiversity arising from global climate change and the human population growth.    Richard Leakey is a Kenyan, resides in Nairobi but travels widely to promote his concerns and interests.  He has published widely and participated in many documentaries.