lain Allan (Founder and Director of Tropical Ice)
Abstract. lain Allan will begin his talk by briefly describing his background of 36 years in the African bush. He will then discuss the social behavior of elephants, one of the most intelligent forms of life on our planet, their importance as regulators of savannah and bush, and the changes he's seen through two poaching wars, the mismanagement of parks, and the lack of direction among wildlife authorities.
He will tie together the overriding factors — overpopulation, African politics, and poverty — that have lead to the present crisis: the third poaching war, which many people believe we don't have enough time to win.
Short Bio: lain has lived in Kenya since he was eight years old. Always drawn to the African bush, he developed an early love for rock climbing and mountaineering, which were an obsession during his formative years. He has consequently pioneered many new routes on Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro and has participated in frequent climbing expeditions to the Himalayas, Andes, and North America.
A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, lain has written two books: Guide to Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro and Snowcaps on the Equator. lain is also one of the main characters in Rick Ridgeway's acclaimed book The Shadow of Kilimanjaro, which describes the first 22-day 300-mile walk from the summit of Kilimanjaro to the Indian Ocean. In 1979, shortly after starting Tropical Ice, lain shifted his focus from mountaineering to Tsavo, the endless bush country of Kenya's largest, unspoiled wilderness and Africa's largest park. He is a leading authority on the area, with a vast knowledge of the region's animal behavior patterns and conservation. He has been successfully operating walking safaris along the Tsavo and Galana Rivers for over 30 years. His Great Walk of Africa, a 10-day walking safari through Tsavo, was designated Outside Magazine's “Trip of the Year” in 2006.