Louise Leakey

Louise Leakey, daughter of world-famous paleoanthropologists Richard Leakey "and Meave Leakey and granddaughter of Louis and Mary Leakey, was born in Kenya. She represents the third generation of one of the world's most renowned scientific family dynasties.

"Accompanying her famous father, Louise has spent much of her life in the Kenyan wilderness on both paleontology and wildlife expeditions, and was witness to the discovery of some of the most important human fossil finds as well as the critical protection of African wildlife.

"She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in geology and biology at the University of Bristol, and her Ph.D. at University College London in paleoecology of African mammals. Louise upholds the Leakey family legacy in the search for human origins through continuing research with the Koobi Fora Research Project in the Turkana Basin of northern Kenya. In appreciation of her African field explorations on human origins, The National Geographic Society has made Louise an "Explorer-in Residence."

"Currently, Louise is developing a long-term research initiative at Koobi Fora, East Turkana, where her concern for the welfare of the surrounding peoples has led her to generate increased funding for the local school and medical center. Among her other pursuits, Louise occasionally works as a guide for palaeontological excursions and horse riding safaris in Kenya. She manages the Leakey family vineyard, and is a Kenyan bush pilot. An avid photographer, she recently published some of her photos in the book Africa's Children as part of a charitable project for education. Louise lives in Kenya with her two young daughters and her husband, Emmanuel de Merode, who is the Chief Executive of Wildlife Direct, the African Conservation Fund."


 * Advisory Board, Fund for Wild Nature
 * Scientific, Technical and Conservation Advisory Board, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society