Richard Leakey

Background

Richard Leakey was born in Kenya to fossil hunters and scholars Louis and Mary Leakey. Since he led his first fossil hunting expedition in 1967, he and his team, “The Hominid Gang,” have unearthed more than 200 fossils. He is credited with some of the most significant fossil discoveries, including the legendary Turkana Boy who lived over 1.6 million years ago. Richard Leakey long ago turned from fossil hunting to focus on conservation and politics. Leakey lives on a farm in Kenya where he spearheaded efforts to end rampant elephant poaching. In 1995, Leakey started a new political party called Safina (Swahili for Noah’s Ark), taking a stand against government corruption and oppression. He suffered a whipping, death threats, and lost his legs in a suspicious plane crash in 1993. He was ultimately successful, and international financial support returned to Kenya. Richard Leakey is an elected Fellow of The Royal Society, and Time magazine named him among the top 100 great minds of the 21st century. We're pleased to share the Q&A portion of the event.