Ian Redmond: Gorillas, Elephants and 50 Years in African Conservation | Animals & Us

Ian Redmond describes himself as a naturalist by birth, fascinated by nature from childhood despite growing up in the English countryside far from the tropical wildlife he dreamed of. A chance letter to Dian Fossey in 1976 changed everything: he arrived at Karisoke Research Center in the Virunga Mountains as a research assistant and dog's body, encountering gorillas on his second day in the field. Over the next decades, he witnessed both profound loss, the murder of his friend Digit by poachers, and Fossey's own killing, and remarkable triumph: the mountain gorilla population rising from 250 to over 1,000. He later discovered elephants visiting caves on Mount Elgon and spent years building trust with wild elephants underground. Today, he channels his decades of field experience into international conservation policy, believing that personal encounters with wild animals inspire the protection they desperately need.

Ian Redmond is a conservationist and naturalist who has spent more than 50 years protecting gorillas and elephants across Africa. He worked as a research assistant to Dian Fossey at Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda, later introduced Sir David Attenborough to wild gorillas, and has since advised governments and led international conservation initiatives.

⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses grief, which some listeners may find distressing.

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🕒 CHAPTERS:

00:00 A Naturalist from Birth: Childhood in Yorkshire and Malaysia

07:07 Herding Reindeer in the Cairngorms

10:02 The Letter That Changed Everything: Writing to Dian Fossey

17:09 Arriving at Karisoke in '76: Into the Virunga Mountains

24:30 First Days in the Field: Confronting Poachers

29:04 Meeting Group 4: Gorillas and Nose Prints

39:34 Understanding Gorilla Society and Safety

45:54 The Death of Digit and Diane Fossey's Murder

51:36 David Attenborough and Life on Earth

57:51 Cave-Dwelling Elephants on Mount Elgon

1:04:04 Underground with Elephants: Trust and Conversation

1:12:32 The Three Ps: How Individuals Can Protect Wildlife

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📌 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International: https://www.gorillafund.org/

The Gorilla Doctors: https://www.gorilladoctors.org/

Born Free Foundation: https://www.bornfree.org.uk/

Stop Ecocide: https://www.stopecocide.earth/

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