Dr. Hugh Spencer

Director, Australian Tropical Research Foundation

Today's Date: 26/August/06

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

I can't be specific - canoeing in the W Ontario lakes perhaps. Bushwalking in Australia.

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

Wandering in the bushland at the bottom of my parents property on the central east coast of Australia.

Now? Watching the regrowth of the rainforest on the Research Station property and the recovery of the coastline as we remove exotic species.

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

Megabats - especially flying foxes. These large flying vegetarian proto-primates are highly engaging animals - think of lemurs with wings - they all have distinct personalities - rather like dogs.

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?

Overcoming the evolutionarily embedded anthropocentricity of our species - it's going to be hard, very hard.

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

stop having children - the human population is already 10 (or more - depending on energy style) times the population number over what might be considered 'sustainable'. We somehow need a slow let-down of the population starting NOW - if we don't it will be a fast (and very messy) letdown – and the ones who can't vote (viz the environment) will really suffer.