Dr. Keith Leggett

Namibian Elephant and Giraffe Trust

Today's Date: 26th July 2006

1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?

As an elephant researcher just about every day of interaction with elephants is very high on the list, even after nearly 17 years of interaction with elephants (last 9 years as a principal research animal) I still get a rush when studying them. However, I would have to say my favourite experience to-date where I actually felt at one with wildlife was one morning when I was out running, two large Kudu for some reason came, joined me and ran with me for about 400m before they had enough and ran off into the bush.

2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?

Anywhere outside of 4 walls. Though growing up in Australia, my favourite place was the north coast of NSW on the ocean, anywhere.

Now? Kaokoland, northwest Namibia, closely followed by the lowveld of Zimbabwe around Gona-re-zhou National Park and Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe.

3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?

Elephants, fascinating life styles and interactions, also amazingly tolerant and gentle for such a large mammal.

4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?

Not enough time or energy to answer this question fully, the greatest risk, put simply, is human population expansion and our constant need for land and resources to support ourselves at the expense of the environment and the animals that inhabit the land. Greedy and stupid politicians don’t help of course…..

5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?

Stop breeding and be more aware of the environmental consequences of your actions…. Impossible I know but that would be the best thing. In addition the western world should seriously look at alternative energy sources and fuels, they exist but are not given credence nor research and development due to the influence of multinational oil companies and their associated industries. The third world is a whole other story and there have been thousands of pages written on the subject… better men than I are already discussing this point.